Third molars, also called wisdom teeth, are the last teeth in the mouth to form. The jaws are usually not large enough to accommodate these teeth and one or more fail to erupt into proper alignment, or are unable to erupt fully into the mouth and remain impacted. Serious problems can develop from impacted wisdom teeth such as pain, swelling, infection and possible crowding of and damage to adjacent teeth. Tissue that surrounds a developing impacted tooth can enlarge to form a cyst, causing destruction of the surrounding bone and adjacent teeth.
Why Should I Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. When they align properly and gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, most of the time this does not happen. Wisdom teeth may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum, and even remain trapped beneath the gum and bone.
Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to successfully erupt. These poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause many problems. When they are partially erupted, the opening around the teeth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually cause an infection. The result: swelling, stiffness, pain, and illness. The pressure from the erupting wisdom teeth may move other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of teeth.
Removal of the offending impacted teeth usually resolves these problems. Early removal is recommended to avoid such future problems and to decrease the surgical risk involved with the procedure.
Floss offers wisdom teeth removal under IV sedation. This eliminates anxiety and pain and the patient often has no memory of the procedure. It is administered done safely and effectively. From the patient’s perspective, time seems to “fly by”. Steroids are used to prevent swelling and accelerate healing.
Removal
In most cases, the removal of wisdom teeth is performed under local anesthesia, laughing gas (nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia), IV sedation, or ultralight general anesthesia. These options, as well as the surgical risks (i.e., sensory nerve damage, sinus complications), will be discussed with you before the procedure is performed. Once the teeth are removed, the gum is sutured. To help control bleeding, bite down on the gauze placed in your mouth. You will rest under our supervision in the office until you are ready to be taken home. Upon discharge, your postoperative kit will include postoperative instructions and prescriptions for pain medication and antibiotics.
Our services are provided in an environment of optimum safety that utilizes modern monitoring equipment and staff who are experienced in anesthesia techniques.
