Dr Dale Benic | Tauranga Dentist | Te Puke Dentist | Mount Maunganui Dentist

Wisdom teeth removal is one of the more common cases requiring one or more teeth to be removed or extracted.  Often wisdom teeth are unable to erupt fully, and normally, within the jaw structure.

 

Wisdom teeth that fail to emerge fully into their correct position are often referred to as 'impacted teeth'.  These are often surgically removed, as impacted teeth often cause pain and discomfort for some individuals.

 

In very difficult or complex cases, you may be referred to a maxillofacial oral surgeon to undertake the procedure.

 

Reasons for Treatment:

 

• Left untreated, some of the common problems associated with impacted wisdom teeth include:

• Infections under the overlying gum

• Decay within the wisdom tooth or adjacent tooth

• Damage to an adjacent tooth

• Pain and discomfort

• Bad taste and breath

• Limited mouth opening

• Cyst formation in the bone

 

Tooth Removal: Key Facts

 

• Length of Treatment:  20 min -1 hour for single tooth removal.  1 - 1.5 hours for up to 4 wisdom teeth

• For multiple teeth requiring extraction, appointments can be split across two or more visits

• A single tooth can be removed on the initial appointment, especially in cases where the patient is in considerable pain.  Otherwise an initial visit is arranged to assess treatment approach, and teeth are removed on the following appointment.

 

Tooth Removal: Treatment Approach

 

• Local anesthetic will be applied to numb the tooth, so no pain is experienced

• The dentist will carefully apply pressure to extract the tooth

• If required, stitches will be applied to assist the healing process

• If stitches are used, the patient will need return for a follow-up visit 1 week later

• Post-treatment instructions will be given to the patient

 

If you would like to arrange your initial consultation or you wish to understand more about tooth removal please Contact Us at our Tauranga, Mount Maunganui or Te Puke practice.