Dental Extractions

Dental Extraction

The extraction of teeth, whether simple or a complex bony impaction, is a surgical operation involving the teeth, bone, and soft tissues of the oral cavity.

Teeth may need to be extracted for a variety of reasons, whether as a result of infection, crowding, periodontal disease, dental caries, or trauma.

Wisdom Teeth & Impaction

Wisdom teeth are the last tooth behind the upper and lower second molars, and usually appear during a person's late teens or early twenties. When a wisdom tooth is blocked from erupting or coming into the mouth in its normal position, it is termed impacted.

Serious problems may develop from impacted teeth, such as pain, infection, crowding of, or damage to adjacent teeth. Sometimes more serious problems can occur if the sac that surrounds the impacted tooth fills with fluid and enlarges to form a cyst.

This enlargement can hollow out the jaw and result in permanent damage to the adjacent teeth, jawbone, and nerves. If the cyst is not treated, a tumor may develop from the walls of the cyst and a more involved surgical procedure may be required for removal.

Many problems with wisdom teeth may occur with few or no symptoms, so there may be damage without you knowing it.

Treatment & Expertise

Treatment of impacted wisdom teeth involves their removal using special surgical techniques and instruments appropriate for each individual case.

Dr. Smith is a dentist who has specialized training in the removal of wisdom teeth and is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. With modern anesthesia technology, it is now possible to perform these procedures safely in the dental office while you sleep, so there is little or no discomfort.

Most teeth can be removed in an office setting, painlessly and with a short recovery period.