Wisdom Tooth Extractions – Fort Worth, TX
Trusted Fort Worth Dentist for Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Most of the time, your Fort Worth dentist at Fort Dental works to help you keep all of your natural teeth in place for a lifetime when possible. However, there are instances when removing teeth is the better option. One primary example of this is wisdom teeth extraction. These large teeth are located at the very back of the mouth beyond your molars. Whether they have erupted or are impacted, wisdom teeth can initiate problems for teeth nearby as well as your overall oral health. Therefore, wisdom tooth extractions from our Fort Worth, TX dentist are often the recommended course of treatment.
The History of Wisdom Teeth
These teeth weren’t always a problem. In fact, at one time during human history they were quite useful and necessary. Our prehistoric ancestors required these large teeth in order to chew and digest a diet of tough meats, seeds, roots and plants. Since then, the human diet has softened significantly, making these teeth obsolete. As a result, our mouths have adapted and gotten smaller.
Specific Reasons for Extracting Wisdom Teeth
Because our mouths are smaller, most people simply do not have room along the jaw for large wisdom teeth. This is the main reason for extracting them. Left in place, wisdom teeth often press on adjacent teeth, thereby causing discomfort and threatening tooth alignment. Therefore, extraction can be particularly important after undergoing orthodontics to straighten teeth. Other reasons for extracting wisdom teeth include:
- Wisdom teeth increase the risk of infection, tooth decay and gum disease
- Cysts can develop below the gum line around wisdom teeth, which can lead to bone damage
- They come in crooked or facing the wrong direction
Sedation Dentistry for Wisdom Tooth Extraction
At Fort Dental, our dentists are certified to provide oral sedation. We’ll give you a prescription for an oral medication that you’ll take before coming to our dental office. Oral sedation requires you to have an adult drive you to and from your appointment. The sedative, in combination with a local anesthetic, allows the doctor to perform one or more extractions while you are relaxed and comfortable.
Types of Tooth Extraction
In some cases when a wisdom tooth has erupted—meaning it has broken through the gum tissue—the dentist uses forceps to remove the tooth. If a wisdom tooth is impacted, then the dentist makes an incision in the gums and removes a small amount of bone in order to expose the tooth. The tooth is removed in sections and the site is sutured closed.
Get the care you need from a dental office you can trust. Call today to schedule your appointment for wisdom teeth extraction with Dr. Cheng, Dr. Thorburn, Dr. Luk, or Dr. Cox. Our Fort Worth dental office is conveniently located for our patients in Burleson, Crowley, Granbury, and surrounding areas.