Reasons for Wisdom Teeth Extractions

It’s common for dentists to recommend that people have their wisdom teeth removed, but you might not understand why this is. It’s not because dentists perfunctorily recommend extractions; although safe, those aren’t a first resort. Instead, it’s because wisdom teeth often put a patient at risk for gum disease and misalignment. At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we provide care to patients of all ages and provide wisdom teeth extractions as well as gum disease treatment, so we wanted to explain to patients the danger of pericoronitis.

The wisdom teeth are the largest molars, and they usually don’t erupt until a person is on the cusp of adolescence. This is a problem because modern people’s mouths usually aren’t large enough to allow their wisdom teeth to erupt fully. Instead, the wisdom teeth become impacted, which is what dentists call a tooth that is stuck and only partially exposed. This creates problems for the other teeth because the wisdom teeth are pushing on them, moving them out of place. The partly-erupted teeth also tend to be difficult to clean. Food debris gets trapped under the gum flap partially covering the teeth, which is called an operculum, and bacterial infections result. “Pericoronitis” is the term we use to refer to inflammation in the area surrounding a tooth’s crown.

During a routine cleaning, we can remove food debris from the operculum and prescribe antibiotics for an infection. But the problem is likely to recur, and even if the operculum is removed, the impacted tooth is still hard to brush and puts pressure on other teeth. Extracting an impacted tooth might be more complicated than a regular extraction if we need to make an incision in the gum, but in those cases, we will monitor the patient’s recovery and help them to understand how to care for themselves during the short period of recovery.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Tooth Extraction Site Preservation

Sometimes pulling teeth is a necessary procedure for overcrowding in the mouth or infection due to tooth decay. It isn’t a procedure to be taken lightly. Like wisdom teeth removal where they are located in the back of the mouth and sutures are used, the tooth extraction site essentially becomes an open wound, one that needs to be monitored and given time to heal. We at All Coast Dental understand that getting a tooth pulled isn’t very fun, but we are committed to making the procedure and healing process as comfortable as we can for our patients. 

If you ever think your healing process doesn’t feel normal, you should contact your Pacific, CA dentist. Signs of complications include:

- Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain

- Severe nausea or vomiting

- Redness, swelling, or excessive discharge from the extraction site

- Signs of infection, such as fever and chills

Something else to keep in mind when removing teeth is what to do with that open space once it has healed. If a tooth is removed and nothing is done to the extraction site, your jaw bone will degenerate and change shape while the site heals. This can create problems in your bite and may affect chewing and speaking. Make sure you and your dentist come up with a plan to fill this space.

All Coast Dental is located at 2180 Garnet Ave., Suite 1-K, in Pacific, CA 92109. For more information about nightguards or to schedule an appointment, please visit allcoastdental.net or call 858-270-4904.

 

Panorex Imaging

As a dental office that provides patients with a full range of care options, we at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach use the latest technology. Monitoring the eruption of wisdom teeth, the integration of an implant, and the health of the jaw bone all require rigorous x-rays. We use the Panorex, a device that provides a panoramic view of the patient’s mouth, allowing us to provide a superior quality of service.

A patient does not need to prepare for examination with a Panorex anymore than they would for a traditional x-ray. They will simply remove jewelry and other objects and then bite down on the plastic bite stopper on the Panorex machine. (The device may be lowered or raised to match a patient’s height.) Panels will then descend and rotate around the patient’s head while the x-rays are emitted. The whole process takes less than twenty seconds.

Images produced by the Panorex are highly detailed. Although they do not show soft tissues well, they allow us to more accurately predict tooth migration and detect changes in the vertical dimension of a patient’s jaw bone. They are commonly used for planning complex extractions and implant placement. They also subject the patient to fewer x-rays than traditional x-ray photographs and don’t require patients to hold film in their mouths.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Pericoronitis

Dentists commonly recommend the removal of wisdom teeth. While our goal at All Coast Dental is to preserve a patient’s natural teeth whenever possible, we recognize that wisdom teeth sometimes cause particular complications. Among these is an increased risk of pericoronitis, inflammation around a dental crown.

Wisdom teeth are the largest teeth and the last to erupt. They often push through in the late teen years, after the patient’s jaws have solidified and the rest of their teeth are no longer as mobile. Consequently, wisdom teeth tend to get stuck. A tooth that is unable to push fully through the gum line is called “impacted” and wisdom teeth tend to get stuck half-emerged. They are often partially covered by a flap of gum tissue, called an operculum, that becomes a trap for food debris, resulting in pericoronitis.

Although a pericoronitis infection may be cleaned, it will likely recur. An operculum can be cut away, but as long as the impacted tooth remains, it will contribute to misalignment problems and be difficult to brush. We offer safe, efficient extractions and will carefully monitor pediatric patients to determine whether their wisdom teeth will become problems.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars on each side of the upper and lower jaws that erupt between the ages of 17-22. When wisdom teeth don’t erupt, this may be due to a patient being born without them or because they are impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth occur when they don’t have enough room in the mouth to grow. When this happens, our doctors at All Coast Dental may suggest extraction.

Impacted wisdom teeth pose a risk of infection and can cause frequent headaches if they are pressing against a nerve in the neck. Impacted wisdom teeth don’t always show symptoms, however, which is why it’s important to visit our office twice a year for X-rays and maintenance. Impacted wisdom teeth that are left untreated can lead to periodontal disease and tooth decay and may cause damage to surrounding teeth. If our doctors suggest extraction, it is promised that you will be made comfortable every step of the way.

If you have questions or concerns regarding wisdom teeth extraction or impacted wisdom teeth, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.  

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that develop between the ages of 17-24. Wisdom teeth can either erupt or stay impacted (under the gum). When wisdom teeth are impacted, this increases a patient’s risk of developing an infection. The safest way to avoid this is to discuss extraction with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental.

While oral surgery is no picnic for anyone, having wisdom teeth extracted provides more benefits to the patient than leaving them intact. Wisdom teeth can lead to gum pain, headaches, and can cause damage to surrounding teeth. Before deciding if your wisdom teeth need to be extracted, our doctors will explain the procedure and assure that you are as comfortable as possible before proceeding.  

If you have questions or concerns regarding wisdom teeth extraction, please give us a call. To learn about services provided at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.