At Li Family Dental, we provide preventative dental care to ensure you’re aware of potential issues, such as impacted wisdom teeth. Our family-focused dental office will keep an eye on the progression of your children’s wisdom teeth so that we can pinpoint challenges that could negatively affect their dental health. If you’re looking for treatment for wisdom teeth in Etobicoke, you’ve come to the right clinic.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth emerge at the very back of the mouth. They are the last molars to erupt, making an appearance in the teen years or even into your early twenties. For many people, wisdom teeth do not appear at all.
What Happens When Wisdom Teeth “Erupt”?
Eruption is the term used when your adult teeth break through the gums. When your wisdom teeth erupt, you can experience the following symptoms:
- Pain at the back of your mouth
- Redness and inflammation at the site where the teeth are breaking through your gums
- Tender gums
Do All Wisdom Teeth Have to Be Extracted?
No, wisdom teeth are like any other teeth and can become a useful part of your chewing function.
However, in some cases, wisdom teeth can grow in at an angle, which is not only painful but can also cause issues, including infection and interference with your other teeth. When this happens, wisdom teeth become “impacted,” which is when extraction is required.
What Happens When Wisdom Teeth Are Impacted?
When wisdom teeth do not emerge straight, the misalignment can cause shifting and crowding of your existing teeth. That, in turn, can affect your bite and lead to other dental issues. Crooked wisdom teeth should be extracted to ensure you maintain optimum dental health.
In the case of impacted wisdom teeth, the teeth are unable to break through the gums. Instead, they grow toward adjacent teeth. Symptoms that indicate wisdom teeth are impacted include:
- Red, swollen gums
- Extreme tenderness
- Bleeding gums
- Jaw pain
- Headaches
- Earaches
- Swollen jaw
- Bad breath
- Bad taste in your mouth
- Difficulty opening your mouth and chewing
With impacted wisdom teeth, extraction is required to protect your teeth, jaw bone, and nerves from damage caused by infection.
How is an Extraction Performed?
First, we will provide a thorough exam to determine the best treatment for your needs. We will also provide a budget so that you understand the cost of your treatment.
The type of anesthetic used depends on the severity of your impaction. In basic situations, we will use a local anesthetic. However, in severe cases, a general anesthetic will be used, and you’ll be asleep during the procedure. The tooth extraction will then require the following steps:
- The tooth is exposed by making an incision in the gum tissue.
- In more severe cases, we will remove bone blocking the root.
- In many cases, the tooth is removed in pieces.
- The site is cleaned to ensure all debris is removed.
- The site is stitched if required.
- Gauze is placed at the tooth extraction site to stop bleeding.
Recovery time can take a few weeks but, in some cases, can take as long as a few months.
To book an appointment with our team to discuss treatments for wisdom teeth in Etobicoke, please call (416) 232-2033.