Reasons to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Extracted

Wisdom teeth, often referred to as your “third molars,” generally come between your late teen years and mid 20’s. Sometimes they emerge easily, without fanfare. Other times, they can be problematic, coming in crooked or getting impacted in your jaw. If your wisdom teeth are causing too many problems, your Pleasant Hill, California dentist may recommend having them extracted. At Pleasant Hill Dental, we offer wisdom tooth removal services to Pleasant Hill, California, residents. 

In today’s world, wisdom teeth are not really needed for eating and don’t serve any specific purpose, so there’s no reason to hold onto them, especially if they’re causing problems. Here are some of the most common reasons people have their wisdom teeth removed:

• Lack of space – Overcrowding can cause your wisdom teeth to come in crooked or only partway due to lack of space for them to grow. This can impact your bite or cause misalignment issues. If you plan to undergo orthodontics, Dr. Cheng Zhu may recommend extracting wisdom teeth to make room for the teeth you have to shift into a straighter position
• Infection – If your wisdom teeth have become infected, it’s best to have them extracted to keep the infection from spreading. Oral infections can put healthy teeth at risk or spread to other areas of your body through your bloodstream and cause major health problems. Removing an infected wisdom tooth will stop the infection, preserve your oral health and protect your general health
• Impacted wisdom teeth – Impacted wisdom teeth can be painful and increase your risk of infections and decay, as food particles can easily become trapped behind these teeth. Your gums may become irritated and inflamed, making it difficult to chew. Impacted wisdom teeth can also cause cysts in your jaw, damaging your jawbone and surrounding teeth. To avoid these and other dental issues, it’s best to remove impacted wisdom teeth
• Risk to your oral health – When wisdom teeth have no space to grow, they can cause many oral health issues. They can chip or crack nearby teeth, push teeth out of alignment, or cause problems with decay, tooth infections, and gum disease. Rather than risk oral health issues, Dr. Zhu may opt for wisdom teeth extraction

Wisdom Tooth Removal – A Straightforward Procedure

Fortunately, wisdom teeth extraction is a fairly safe and straightforward procedure and can be performed at our Pleasant Hill, California clinic. After numbing the area against pain, Dr. Zhu will make a small incision in your gum to gain access to the tooth. If there’s bone blocking the tooth root, we’ll remove it first. Using a forceps, we’ll loosen and remove your tooth. We may break the tooth in pieces to remove it if it simplifies the process. Once the tooth is removed, we’ll clean the site and stitch your wound to promote quicker healing.

To schedule an appointment for wisdom tooth removal in Pleasant Hill, CA, contact Dr. Cheng Zhu from Pleasant Hill Dental at (925) 693-7077.