Third Molar Extractions in Sunnyvale CA

Wisdom teeth are often the last set of teeth to emerge and are located at the back of the dental ridges. Sometimes, the wisdom tooth gets stuck in between the gums, and the jawbone, which can result in quite a painful condition called impacted wisdom tooth. If the tooth if left untreated, it can lead to an infection that could spread to the nearby teeth and gums as well.

What are the prominent symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth?

• Extreme pain near the tooth, especially when you brush your teeth or chew food
• Release of pus and bleeding near the gum line
• Pain in the jaws and neck
• The chances of the infection advancing to the underlying jawbone are high when left untreated
• Swelling near the cheeks.

Types of Impaction

Soft tissue impaction: The tooth could stay entirely under the gums, resulting in early impaction.

Partial impaction: When the tooth has emerged out of the gums partially but is still stuck in its socket, it is called partial impaction.

Complete impaction: The wisdom tooth would’ve emerged from under the gums almost fully, but due to certain complications, there would be signs of impaction. Failing to get the tooth extracted can lead to severe infection.

How is the wisdom tooth extracted?

Extracting a wisdom tooth would require oral surgery. You would be administered with local anesthesia to numb the teeth, gums, and jawbone. In case the tooth is completely under the gum tissues, the Sunnyvale CA dentist would make a small incision on the gums to expose the tooth. The tooth will be gripped using forceps and pulled out. Sometimes, the tooth could get so tightly stuck in the socket that it can’t be extracted in one piece. The dentist would dissect it into smaller fragments and remove them one after the other.

Please schedule an appointment online or call us at (408) 830-0123 to have a consultation with our dentists, and we will be happy to help.