Our Dental Blog

As you approach adulthood, there is a risk of four additional teeth erupting, known as wisdom teeth, or third molars. While our mouths comfortably hold 28 teeth, their arrival means trying to fit 32 teeth in the same space. As a result, serious complications may arise. In today’s blog, your Kansas City, MO, dentist will discuss the benefits of extracting your wisdom teeth before they arrive.

The Dangers of Your Wisdom Teeth

Often, having little room for additional teeth means that the third molars only partially erupt, known as an impaction. This could lead to damaged teeth, infection, serious discomfort, and dental misalignment. If these teeth do manage to emerge completely, well, you’re still likely to develop misalignment and discomfort. However, by removing these teeth before they begin to erupt, we can protect you from these uncomfortable complications.

The Extraction Process and Recovery

We will open the area of the gums above the gums, allowing the dentist access to the wisdom teeth. The dentist will then gently remove these teeth with forceps. You may feel a little pressure, but as we will discuss in the next section, we will take steps to protect your from serious discomfort. After we remove the tooth, we will suture the area closed. Our team will then provide instructions for eating and caring for your smile in the next few hours and days. We will also schedule follow-up visits to remove the sutures and monitor the healing process. We want to make sure you avoid complications and enjoy a comfortable healing period. In addition to removing wisdom teeth, we can also use extraction to address severely infected teeth, aid in correcting misalignment, and remove teeth that have become loose due to the advanced stages of gum disease.

IV Sedation

In addition to the local anesthetic we administer to numb the area around the extraction site, our team will also offer IV sedation. We administer the IV via injection, and a trained anesthesiologist will monitor you throughout the procedure. The sedation helps you enter a calm and relaxed state with no memory of the procedure. The effects will take time to wear off, so arrange for a friend or family member to bring you home and avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until the effects of the sedation wear off completely. If you have any questions about the extraction process, or if you think you may benefit from treatment, then please contact our team to schedule a consultation!

Do You Have Questions About Extraction?

We can offer patients a safe and comfortable dental extraction. To learn more about our restorative treatment options, then please schedule a consultation by calling Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.