Wisdom Teeth Removal in Raleigh, NC - Six Forks

Wisdom teeth, which are your third molars, are the very last teeth to come in. They typically start erupting between your late teens and mid-20s. Unfortunately, because they come in later, most jaws are too small to accommodate them. This lack of space is why wisdom teeth often become problematic. To stay ahead of any potential problems, we recommend regular monitoring with panoramic X-rays starting around age 16 to see if it needs to be extracted.

Here are some reasons why wisdom teeth removal is necessary:

• Impaction: If a wisdom tooth gets stuck in your jawbone or gum tissue, it can't fully erupt, leading to pain and possible infection.
• Crowding and Misalignment: As they try to push through, wisdom teeth can crowd your existing teeth, undoing previous orthodontic work and causing misalignment issues with your bite.
• Infection (Pericoronitis): When a tooth is only partially erupted, it creates a small flap of gum tissue where bacteria can easily get trapped, leading to painful and severe gum infections.
• Tooth Decay: Being located in the back makes wisdom teeth difficult to clean. This can lead to trapped food and bacteria, causing cavities not just on the wisdom tooth but potentially on your neighboring molars as well.
• Cysts and Tumors: In rare cases, fluid-filled sacs (cysts) can form around an impacted tooth, which may destroy surrounding jawbone tissue and even damage nerves.‍
• Damage to Neighboring Teeth: Constant pressure from a growing wisdom tooth can physically damage the roots of the adjacent molars, potentially causing bone loss.

You need a wisdom tooth removal if you experience the following:

• Jaw pain or tooth pain in the back of the mouth
• Swelling, redness, or infection around the gums
• Crowding or shifting of the neighboring teeth
• An impacted wisdom tooth that is trapped under the gum or jawbone.

1. ‍Comprehensive Assessment: We start with a thorough exam to ensure the best outcome. Using advanced panoramic X-rays or 3D CBCT scans to see the wisdom tooth’s exact position, root shape, and proximity to nerves.‍
2. Personalized Treatment Plan: Based on your imaging, we will decide whether it's a simple extraction (if the tooth has fully erupted) or a surgical extraction (for impacted teeth).‍
3. Choosing Your Comfort: We want you to feel completely relaxed during the process and therefore offer a choice of local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, or deeper IV sedation. ‍
4. The Surgical Procedure: Once you are totally comfortable, we numb the area using a local anesthetic injection. For impacted teeth, a small incision in the gum tissue is made, the pulp is removed, thoroughly cleaned, and sealed.‍
5. Quick and Safe: The entire procedure, even when removing all four wisdom teeth, typically takes only 30 to 60 minutes. ‍
6. Healing: You will likely be able to resume your normal daily activities within 3 to 5 days.

We want you to feel completely comfortable during your procedure, which is why we offer a variety of sedation options:

• Local Anesthesia is used to numb the extraction site while you remain awake, for minimal downtime. 
• Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) helps you relax and wears off quickly enough for you to drive yourself home. 
• Oral Sedation is a prescription pill that makes you drowsy yet conscious, though you will need a designated driver. ‍
• IV Sedation is recommended for more complex cases, such as impacted teeth or dental phobias. This provides a deep sleep with an amnesia effect, requiring both a driver and a 24-hour recovery period.

Most patients recover within a few days to a week. Common side effects include mild swelling, soreness, and limited jaw movement. We recommend resting, eating soft foods, using ice packs, and taking pain medications to help with healing. Contact your dentist if you experience increasing pain, swelling, or signs of infection.