When you think of getting your wisdom teeth removed, it’s normal that the thing that comes to mind is the chipmunk face you get afterward. At Fashion District Dental in Midtown West, New York City, Justin Rashbaum, DMD, works closely with men and women to offer the most effective wisdom teeth extractions possible, through comprehensive diagnosis and a proactive attitude. Get in touch with Fashion District Dental today to learn more about wisdom teeth extractions.
Wisdom teeth refer to the very last set of teeth to grow out in your adult life. In most cases, wisdom teeth come out during late adolescence or early 20s. These four teeth sit directly behind the molars.
While they tend to come out during the above time period, some people’s wisdom teeth never grow out entirely. Sometimes, they stay buried in the gum tissue or only breach partially.
Wisdom tooth pain doesn’t refer to the pain in the wisdom tooth itself but in the teeth surrounding it. In most cases, this means that your wisdom tooth is impacted.
An impacted wisdom tooth means that your mouth isn’t large enough to accommodate a full-grown wisdom tooth. Consequently, your wisdom tooth pushes the neighboring teeth outward as it grows out.
The longer you leave this unaddressed, the higher your chances of having a wisdom tooth that grows out at an angle or that gets stuck in the jawbone. It can also put your neighboring teeth in jeopardy.
The most common symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth include any of the following:
While these symptoms might also be indicative of something other than an impacted wisdom tooth, it’s important that you contact Dr. Rashbaum immediately to get them checked out.
The first step to any extraction is a proper diagnosis. Dr. Rashbaum takes a digital image of your mouth to see exactly where the wisdom tooth is, how it’s growing, and which teeth are impacted by this growth. This image also determines how many wisdom teeth need to be extracted.
Before starting the extraction procedure, Dr. Rashbaum gives you a local or general anesthetic to ensure optimal comfort. It’s up to you what kind of anesthetic you’d prefer, though you should check with Dr. Rashbaum if he recommends general anesthesia.
Once you’re numb, he makes a small incision in the gum tissue and bone to remove the tooth. After the extraction, Dr. Rashbaum stitches the incision back up with dissolvable stitches. These go away naturally within a few days.
For a single wisdom tooth extraction, the procedure shouldn’t take longer than an hour.
Avoid the discomfort caused by impacted wisdom teeth. Get in touch with Fashion District Dental today by phone or online to book an appointment.
