At Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure. Your last set of molars to come in, wisdom teeth usually emerge when you are between 17 and 21 years old. Since wisdom teeth can often become impacted, which means they come in at an angle rather than straight through the gums, it is many times necessary to remove them before they cause pain or begin to push on your other teeth.
If a wisdom tooth is impacted and can only emerge partially, it is possible for an operculum to form over the tooth. If this flap of skin forms, the tooth will be hard to clean and can be infected. This infection is called pericoronitis.
When a wisdom tooth is in danger of causing such problems, Dr. Navid or Faranka Rahimpour will extract the tooth. It is often necessary to remove all four at once. This is done either by using a local anesthetic or a general anesthetic, based on the preference of the doctors and patient and how far the wisdom teeth have emerged. After the anesthetic is applied, the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth is cut and the tooth is loosened and pulled out. If necessary, the gums will be sutured for healing.
After the surgery, rest is required, and you will need to change the gauze applied to the incision. To see if your wisdom teeth may need to be removed, schedule an appointment with us by calling (719)471-1717. For more information on our practice, visit www.southercrossfamilydentistry.com.
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