Wisdom Teeth

About five million Americans have their wisdom teeth removed each year. The process is quick and pain-free thanks to modern anesthetics and oral surgery advances. At Maple Dental, cosmetic and family dentist Gurpreet Kaur, DDS, provides comprehensive oral health care to people of all ages living in and around Georgetown Place, Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, and New Haven, Indiana, including complete wisdom teeth removal surgery. If you’re concerned about your wisdom teeth, seek treatment right away. Call Maple Dental to schedule a wisdom teeth consultation, or book your appointment online today.

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth or the third molars are the last of your permanent teeth to come in. They’re in the back of your mouth and typically break through the gumline when you’re in your late teens or early 20s.

Most people have four wisdom teeth while others have two, three, or none. Regardless, if you have wisdom teeth, Dr. Kaur might recommend extracting them.

Why do some people have their wisdom teeth removed?

Because your wisdom teeth come in long after all your other permanent teeth, they’re more likely to cause problems. Often, there isn’t enough room at the back of the mouth for them to fit comfortably, so they can get stuck (impacted) or affect the alignment and position of the surrounding teeth.

Wisdom teeth removal prevents these and other problems from happening. It also saves you from having to brush and floss your wisdom teeth. Since they’re at the back of your mouth, they can be difficult to keep clean.

When should I consider wisdom teeth removal?

Consider wisdom teeth removal at Maple Dental if you experience problems with your wisdom teeth, including:

• Pain at the back of your mouth
• Signs of infection
• Damage to the nearby teeth
• Gum disease
• Tooth decay

You might also benefit from wisdom tooth removal if one or more of your wisdom teeth become impacted. When wisdom teeth can’t break through the gumline, they’re more likely to cause pain, swelling, and other problems.

What does wisdom teeth removal involve?

Wisdom teeth removal is a 90-minute outpatient procedure.

At the beginning of treatment, Dr. Kaur administers a local anesthetic, numbing your mouth. Once the anesthetic sets in, Dr. Kaur carefully loosens each wisdom tooth and extracts them with dental forceps. If your wisdom teeth are still below the gumline, she makes small incisions in your gums to access them and completes the same process.

After extracting your wisdom teeth, Dr. Kaur stitches the incisions closed, packs your empty sockets with gauze, and provides care instructions. Since it takes several hours for the anesthetic to wear off, a friend or family member must drive you home.

Call Maple Dental today to schedule a wisdom teeth removal consultation, or book your appointment online.