Phoenix Wisdom Teeth Extractions

How do know if you need Wisdom teeth extractions? Wisdom teeth are known as the third molar. These are the last molars to grow in your mouth, and usually, make their appearance from the late teens and throughout the early twenties. For some people, the molars grow in properly aligned and can become somewhat of an advantage to their mouth and teeth. More often than not, however, they will grow in misaligned and cause you and your mouth problems.

The risks associated with misaligned wisdom teeth include:

• Crowding or damaging to adjacent teeth, jawbone or nerves
• Increased risk of tooth decay to the third molars and surrounding teeth
• Increased risk of bacteria and infection
• Possible pain, swelling, jaw stiffness and further illness
• Increased risk of gum disease

We will provide an evaluation to determine if it is necessary to have your wisdom teeth removed. This involves periodic x-rays to check for any presence of your wisdom teeth. We also check the alignment of them to recommend removing them before problems develop. Early removal of your wisdom helps to prevent a more complicated and painful extraction. In younger patients it is much easier to remove the molars because the roots have not fully developed. Also, the bone is much less dense so healing is usually much quicker. Wisdom teeth extractions in older adults can be more difficult and healing tends to take longer.

Come in to see us if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Pain behind the molars or at the back of your mouth. Over time, this pain could gradually increase if the wisdom teeth grow in sideways or misaligned causing pressure on surrounding teeth or on nerves or bone.
• Tenderness and/or swelling, pain, redness in the area. If your wisdom teeth begin to poke through the gum surface, bacteria may enter into the open surface. This could cause infection, which could affect your overall health too.
• Impacted wisdom teeth. If the neighboring teeth or the jaw bone block the molars from erupting, they could become trapped. If this happens, their roots could continue to grow, which could cause additional problems for your overall health. This includes redness, swelling that could be a sign of infection, bad breath, poor food taste when chewing, and pain. If impacted wisdom teeth are left untreated, it could lead to cysts and tumors in some cases.

If you have any questions, please give us a call. We’re happy to help.