ATRAUMATIC WISDOM AND IMPACTED TEETH EXTRACTION

An adult has 32 teeth. Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molar that most people get in their late teens or early twenties.

A panorex film of Dr Hung Dental Clinic Center, (Male: 23 years – 4 wisdom teeth extraction)

Note: A. Distal impacted wisdom tooth B. Mesial  impacted wisdom tooth C. Impacted wisdom tooth D. Internal impacted wisdom tooth.

WHAT IS AN IMPACTED TOOTH?

Although most people develop and grow 32 permanent adult teeth, many times their jaws are too small to accommodate the four wisdom teeth. When inadequate space prevents the teeth from erupting they are called impacted. This indicates their inability to erupt into the proper position for chewing and cleaning.

TYPES OF IMPACTION

We will need to see you for a consultation to determine if you will benefit from wisdom tooth removal. A special x-ray of your mouth and jaws (panorex) will be taken to determine if your wisdom teeth are impacted, if there is room for them to erupt, and how difficult it will be to have them removed.

Soft Tissue Impaction: There is not enough room to allow the gum tissue to retract for adequate cleaning of the tooth.
Partial Bony Impaction: There is enough space to allow the wisdom tooth to partially erupt. However, the tooth cannot function properly in the chewing process, and creates cleaning problems, among others.
Complete Bony Impaction: There is NO space for the tooth to erupt. It remains embedded in the jaw bone or if even partially visible requires complex surgical techniques for removal.The impacted wisdom tooth may also be in an unusual position and difficult to remove. This situation can also arise when the shape or size of the jaw bone and other facial structures make removal of this tooth significantly more complex.

WHEN DO YOU NEED WISDOM TOOTH SURGERY/EXTRACTION?

If there is enough room, sometime wisdom teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, and do not cause any problems. When these teeth grow you will be a little sore and/or feverish. These feelings are only temporary and will stop when the teeth grow completely and properly aligned.

When wisdom teeth are misaligned, they may position themselves horizontally, be angled toward or away from the second molar, or be angled inward or outward. Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. Wisdom teeth also can be impacted — they are enclosed within the soft tissue and/or the jawbone or partially break through or erupt through the gum. Partial eruption of the wisdom teeth allows an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. Partially erupted teeth are also more prone to tooth decay and gum disease because their hard-to-reach location and awkward positioning makes brushing and flossing difficult. In this case the wisdom teeth need to be extracted. This is specially true if you have already gone through orthodontics to achieve that perfect smile.
The American Association for Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends removing wisdom teeth by the time people is a young adult to prevent future problems and allow for proper healing.

IS WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION COMPLICATED?

It’s all depend on the location and shape of the wisdom tooth such as: impacted wisdom tooth, the wisdom tooth’ s root get longer,… it will make the extraction more difficult and will increase the potential of complications such as affected nerve. It will be disappear after 2 weeks. Our doctors will explain to you after taking X-rays.

Wisdom tooth/teeth extraction are always performed under local anesthesia (or sedative anesthesia for sensitive person).

At Dr. Hung & Associates Dental Center, we use Piezo machine, atraumatic equipment to do atraumatic extraction for wisdom tooth/ teeth, ensuring little to no pain nor less swelling.

wisdom teeth extraction 2
A panorex film of Dr Hung Dental Clinic Center,(Female:27 years – Before & After extraction 2 wisdom teeth)

wisdom teeth extraction 3
2 wisdom teeth after surgery

wisdom teeth extraction 4
A panorex film of Dr Hung Dental Clinic Center, (Female: 25 years – Before & Àfter extraction 2 wisdom teeth)

ATRAUMATIC TOOTH EXTRACTION

You and Dr. Hung may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed; others may have advanced periodontal disease, or have broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth), or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.

The removal of a single tooth can lead to problems related to your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint, and shifting teeth, which can have a major impact on your dental health.

To avoid these complications, in most cases, Dr. Hung will discuss alternatives to extractions as well as replacement of the extracted tooth.

THE EXTRACTION PROCESS

At the time of extraction the doctor will need to numb your tooth, jaw bone and gums that surround the area with a local anesthetic.

During the extraction process you will feel a lot of pressure. This is from the process of firmly rocking the tooth in order to widen the socket for removal.

You feel the pressure without pain as the anesthetic has numbed the nerves stopping the transference of pain, yet the nerves that transmit pressure are not profoundly affected.

If you do feel pain at any time during the extraction please let us know right away.

SECTIONING A TOOTH

Some teeth require sectioning. This is a very common procedure done when a tooth is so firmly anchored in its socket or the root is curved and the socket can’t expand enough to remove it. The doctor simply cuts the tooth into sections then removes each section one at a time.

AFTER TOOTH EXTRACTION

After tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. Bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes immediately after the appointment. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times to staunch the flow of blood.

After the blood clot forms it is important to not disturb or dislodge the clot. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. These activities may dislodge or dissolve the clot and hinder the healing process. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours, as this increases blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.

After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. Take pain medications as prescribed. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours.

Use pain medication as directed. Call our office if the medication doesn’t seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluids and eat nutritious, soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable.

It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean.

After a few days you should feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office immediately.