With summer well under way, you may want to talk to your teen’s dentist about wisdom tooth extraction. Over the summer when students typically have a break from school work and extracurriculars is a great time to complete tooth removal plans, so your young adult can spend plenty of time resting and recuperating following treatment. In this post, we’ll discuss some of the many reasons why teens may need to have their wisdom teeth extracted.
Why Wisdom Teeth Should be Removed
In most cases, dentists work with patients to keep their smiles whole and healthy, but there are situations where tooth removal is the best option to maintain optimal oral health. Some of the reasons your dentist may recommend wisdom tooth removal include:
- Impaction – inability of the tooth to erupt from the gum line
- Crowding – there’s not enough room along the jaw line for healthy, functional teeth to develop
- Dental drift – inadequate space on jaw line places pressure on surrounding teeth shifting them out of alignment
How Wisdom Teeth are Removed
Wisdom teeth will need to be pulled or surgically removed. “Pulling” a tooth is only possible if it has fully erupted from the gums. We then, numb the area and use metal clasp tools to shift the tooth back and forth until it breaks free. If this is not possible, we will need to surgically remove the tooth. This can involve cutting away soft tissue, drilling into the supportive bone, and/or breaking the tooth into smaller sections to allow us to more easily extract it.
Tips for a Speedy Recovery
Following wisdom tooth extraction, a dentist will give you specific instructions to care for your smile, but some of the basics to keep in mind include:
- Get plenty of rest
- Use ice packs for swelling and pain
- Change out your gauze regularly
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Avoid solid foods for the first 48 hours
- Take prescription or over the counter pain relievers as directed
Meet Dr. Geer
Your skilled Tomball dentist, James D. Geer, DDS, is happy to offer a wide range of preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry services. In addition to basic treatment options, Dr. Geer also provides a variety of more advanced services, including oral surgery like wisdom tooth extractions. If you want to learn more about tooth extraction or any of our other dentistry services, contact our Tomball dental team to schedule an appointment today. We’ll review your treatment options and help you plan for the best dental care to keep you smiling.