When a person reaches their late teens or early twenties their third and final molars will cut through the gums. As long as these teeth, called “wisdom teeth” are healthy and aligned properly they can be left alone but in the greatest majority of cases wisdom teeth extraction in Downers Grove is required.
Wisdom teeth are often misaligned, they may grow in horizontally or they may grow in at a rakish angle either toward or away from the second molars. Improper alignment of wisdom teeth can easily damage the second molars, the jaw bone or tooth nerves.
As well as alignment issues, wisdom teeth can also be impacted, meaning they only partially break through the soft gum tissue. Partial eruption provides a perfect place for bacteria to thrive, resulting in gum disease, infection and tooth decay.
Not everyone gets wisdom teeth:
Not everyone gets wisdom teeth, the only accurate way to determine if they exist or not is to have the dentist take an X-Ray.
In many cases, when wisdom teeth show up on the X-Ray the dentist may suggest that they be extracted before any problems develop. Early wisdom teeth extraction in Downers Grove is an ideal way to avoid complications in the future. It is much easier for the dentist to extract wisdom teeth in a young person as the roots are not fully developed. If extraction is left until adulthood recovery from the procedure can be considerably longer.
Extracting your wisdom teeth:
The ease in which wisdom teeth can be extracted depends on their position. A wisdom tooth that has completely erupted can be removed the same as any other tooth. In the event the wisdom tooth is partially erupted or grossly misaligned it may be necessary for the dentist to shatter the tooth and remove it in smaller pieces. You can expect minor bleeding for a couple of hours and a little swelling, any pain can be handled with OTC pain medication.
Wisdom teeth extraction in Downers Grove is very common. For gentle and pain free extraction of your wisdom teeth you are invited to make an appointment with Dr. Patrick J. Bannon.
