How Do I Stop Wisdom Tooth Impaction?

When wisdom teeth arrive, this can lead to a number of problems for your smile’s health and appearance, as especially if they become impacted. In today’s blog, your Albuquerque, NM, dentist is going to look at the dangers these additional molars pose, and how we can use a safe and comfortable dental extraction to prevent impaction and protect the stability and health of your smile!

The Causes of Impaction

The wisdom teeth are additional molars, up to four, that erupt in our late teens and early 20s. If they cannot fully erupt and only partially erupt, this is known as an impaction. A painful complication, a dental impaction has been linked with misalignment, discomfort, infection, and damaged teeth. Serious pain when eating is also reported. To avoid this complication, we often help our patients by removing these teeth completely prior to eruption, which safeguards the health, stability, and appearance of your smile.

Removing The Wisdom Teeth

We will first administer a local anesthetic to numb the area where the teeth will be removed. We may also discuss sedation options, which help you enter a calm and relaxed state with little to no memory of the procedure. We open the area above the teeth and gently remove them with forceps. We then suture the area closed. A friend or member of your family will need to bring you home, as the sedation will take time to wear off. We will provide instructions to ensure a comfortable and successful healing period, such as consuming only soft foods for the first couple of days, not prodding the area with your tongue, and being very careful when brushing and flossing. You should see us for follow-up visits, so we can monitor the healing process and remove the sutures.

Tooth Loss Solutions

Dental extraction isn’t reserved solely for addressing wisdom teeth. We may use the procedure to address severely damaged or infected teeth, teeth that have become loose due to gum disease, or to make room to reposition uneven teeth. Now, in these scenarios there will be a gap in your smile. Fortunately, we can address this gap with dental bridges, dental implants, or even a partial denture. If you have any questions about preventing wisdom tooth impaction, or about the extraction process, then contact our team today. We can also talk about possible missing tooth replacement options as well. Contact our team today to learn more!

Do You Have Questions About Extractions?

If you have a tooth that needs to be removed, we can help with a safe and comfortable dental extraction. For more information on our approach to restorative dental care, then schedule a consultation with us by calling Snow Park Dental in Albuquerque, NM, today at (505) 596-4479.

Share this Article