Wisdom Teeth Extraction in Las Vegas

Wisdom Teeth Management

Your dentist will begin monitoring you or your child’s wisdom teeth during the mid-teens, watching for indications of potential problems that can lead to serious oral health problems. While some people do not get their wisdom teeth removed unless infected or impacted, your dentist may recommend removing them before they develop issues later in life.

The longer you wait for wisdom teeth removal, the more likely you will experience complications, as the teeth roots grow longer as you age. It is less invasive, less expensive, and less painful to have wisdom teeth removed between 17 and 25. If your dentist does not feel your wisdom teeth need removing, they must continue to monitor them throughout your life to prevent infection, impaction, or damage to adjacent teeth.

What Can Happen if Wisdom Teeth Are Not Removed?

The impact on your comfort and oral health can be dramatic if you do not remove your wisdom teeth. Possible issues include:

• Pain and Discomfort: Wisdom teeth often emerge improperly aligned, causing pain and discomfort. This can result in headaches, earaches, and jaw pain.
• Crowding: Due to limited space in the mouth, wisdom teeth can cause overcrowding, shifting the position of existing teeth and impacting your bite alignment.
• Infection and Gum Disease: Wisdom teeth are located at the back of the mouth, making them difficult to clean properly. If you can’t thoroughly clean your teeth, it can lead to the development of infections, gum disease, and even abscesses.
• Cysts and Tumors: In some cases, wisdom teeth may develop cysts or tumors, which can damage surrounding bone and tissues if left untreated.

Why is Preventive Removal Recommended?

Preventive removal of wisdom teeth is a common practice dentists and oral surgeons recommend for several reasons. Since wisdom teeth are prone to various issues, removing them before they cause problems can help prevent more significant complications later in life.

As we age, the roots of the wisdom teeth continue to grow longer, often intruding on nerve bundles in the base of the jawbone. Removal when you are older requires more invasive surgery to ensure the entire root is removed. However, these roots may be entangled in nerve bundles, leading to nerve damage if not handled precisely.

If your third molars are removed before they become a problem, you can avoid the pain, swelling, and possible infection caused by the teeth becoming impacted or shifting the other teeth. Both negatively affect your overall health and can damage your teeth and jawbone.

What is an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?

When a tooth is trapped or partially blocked by other teeth, gum tissue, or bone, it is impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth do not fully emerge from the gums or develop properly in the mouth. They may be crooked, stuck in the jawbone, or pushing against the other teeth. This happens frequently because many people’s mouths do not have enough room for the wisdom teeth in the back of the mouth.

Symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth can include:

• Red or inflamed gums
• Chronic toothache in the back of the mouth
• Tenderness or bleeding around the teeth in the back of the mouth
• Jaw pain or chronic ear pain
• Swelling around the jaw
• Chronic bad breath or an unpleasant taste in the mouth
• Difficulty chewing
• Difficulty opening the mouth

Any symptoms above require a trip to your dentist’s office to evaluate your wisdom teeth. Early intervention keeps pain and complications to a minimum.

What to Expect When Wisdom Teeth Are Extracted

Dr. Martin evaluates the patient’s wisdom teeth and the surrounding structures during a visual exam, then takes X-rays and 3D digital images to determine whether wisdom teeth extraction is appropriate. He will work with the patient to develop a treatment and review sedation and anesthesia options at that time. Although you or your teen may be worried about the pain or suffer from dental anxiety, Dr. Martin’s skill ensures a successful procedure with minimal stress.

On the day of surgery, Dr. Martin administers a local anesthetic and the chosen form of anesthesia to relax the patient and ensure their comfort during the extraction surgery. Once the patient is relaxed and fully sedated, Dr. Martin makes an incision in the gums to expose the wisdom teeth and surrounding bone. The tooth is carefully removed by rocking it back and forth in the socket. If the tooth is difficult to remove, he may cut the tooth into smaller pieces for easier removal.

After the tooth or teeth are removed, the gums are stitched closed. We monitor our patients closely in the following days and provide detailed post-operative care instructions for your comfort. Most wisdom tooth extraction surgery takes 1-2 hours, depending on the complexity of the surgery and the degree of impaction.

Wisdom Teeth Removal Aftercare

Recovery from wisdom teeth removal takes a few days. We suggest taking a few days off from school or work to give your body time to recover. Avoid strenuous activities, do not suck on a straw or smoke, and be sure to stay hydrated. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as Ibuprofen can control any minor to moderate discomfort. Ice packs on the cheeks for the first 24 hours help reduce inflammation and bruising.

Stick to soft foods for the first few days and avoid hard, crunchy, or spicy foods that may irritate the surgical site. Carefully maintain oral hygiene, but avoid brushing near the extraction site for the first few days. Rinsing with warm salt water can help keep the area clean and soothe the area.

We will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor healing and remove stitches if necessary. Please keep these appointments; they are essential for noting potential complications and determining whether the area is healing correctly.

If you or your teen experience any impacted wisdom tooth symptoms, contact our office or your dentist for an evaluation and treatment plan. Even without symptoms, your dentist may feel removing your wisdom teeth is a necessary preventive measure to protect your oral health as you age. To learn more, contact our office at Delicate Oral Surgery Phone Number (702) 552-8000, or your dentist can refer you using our online referral form.