Wisdom Tooth Extractions

Wisdom teeth do not serve an immediate purpose for our oral health, and cannot be seen from the outside. The most common reasons for removing a wisdom tooth are:

• Partly showing – The tooth may only partly break through the gums and therefore is unable to seal correctly with the gums. This opens up a route for infection and is dangerous to the patient.
• Angle – Some wisdom teeth can come in at an awkward angle, which can cause pain to the patient, or damage other teeth.

• Impacted – The patient’s jaw is not large enough to fit the tooth and is unable to break through the gums. This can be very painful and can cause other teeth to shift within the mouth if not addressed quickly.

Simple extractions can be performed by a dentist in the office. If the tooth is impacted or requires a surgical procedure, a patient will be referred to an oral or maxillofacial surgeon.

Immediately following the procedure, the patient will be asked to bite down on gauze to form a blood clot. In the days following the procedure, the patient must allow the area to properly heal and take careful steps to avoid breaking the clot.

Here are some things to avoid while healing:

• Hard foods or candies
• Picking at the sore spot
• Sucking out of a straw
• Chewing excessively
• Smoking or chewing tobacco

The doctor will schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure that you are healing properly.

If you are in need of a wisdom tooth extraction in Reno, call our friendly staff and schedule an appointment!