Wisdom Teeth Removal
Woodland Hills, CA
Long ago, the wisdom teeth, also called the third molars, played an important role in the human jaw. They were responsible for helping humans to chew a variety of coarse foods. After the invention of cooking, which softened foods considerably, the third molars were no longer necessary. Over time, the human jaw began to shrink to the size it is today. While the jaw shrank, the wisdom teeth continue to develop. These teeth erupt somewhere between your late teens and early 20s. The last to erupt, they are also the most likely to cause significant complications. When your wisdom teeth are causing you problems, Woodland Hills Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery can perform a wisdom teeth removal.
EFFECTS OF PROBLEMATIC WISDOM TEETH
Impacted wisdom teeth can be caused by issues such as insufficient space, the angle or growth, or tissue blockages. When your wisdom teeth are impacted, they can cause several issues.
- Localized infections. If your teeth are only able to partially emerge through the gums, they can be difficult to clean. This can lead to a buildup of bacteria and other debris, which can then cause an infection known as pericoronitis.
- Cysts. Cysts often develop as a result of infection, but can also develop simply as a result of tooth impaction. They are fluid-filled sacs that, when left untreated, continue to grow in size. They can cause significant damage to the jawbone, and lead to the need for a bone graft to the jaw.
- Tooth damage. If your wisdom teeth are developing at an angle, they can grow right into your adjacent teeth. This can lead to serious tooth damage. If the damage occurs below the gum line, the adjacent teeth cannot be saved with crowns.
- Alignment issues. If your wisdom teeth are trying to emerge through the gums, but there is not enough space in your jaw to accommodate them, they can begin to push the adjacent teeth out of alignment. This can then lead to a domino effect, causing overcrowding. When your teeth are misaligned, your bite is thrown off, which can then lead to bruxism and temporomandibular joint pain.
DIAGNOSING IMPACTED WISDOM TEETH
Before treating your wisdom teeth, we first need to determine that they are the cause of your jaw, and other, problems. Diagnosing impacted wisdom teeth requires a thorough oral exam. We first visually inspect the interior of your mouth. We check the back your jaws, looking for red, swollen tissue or even partially erupted teeth. We also take digital X-rays. The X-rays will allow us to see under your gums. We can see your jawbone, the position of the wisdom teeth, damage to adjacent teeth, and cysts. Once we have diagnosed impacted wisdom teeth, we can then move forward to make a treatment plan to remove them.
REMOVING YOUR WISDOM TEETH
Removing wisdom teeth is the best option for restoring your oral health and quality of life. There are two types of extractions, simple and surgical. Impacted wisdom teeth typically require surgical extraction. With this type of extraction, done under a local anesthetic as well as sedation, incisions are made in the gums to expose the impacted teeth. The teeth are then carefully removed. In some cases, they may need to be broken, or we may have to remove a small amount of bone. Once the teeth have been removed, the surgical sites are sutured closed. Unlike other teeth, the wisdom teeth do not need to be replaced.
If your wisdom teeth are causing you pain and interfering with your daily life, and extraction is often the best solution. Call Woodland Hills Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery today for more information and to schedule your consultation at (818) 999-0900.