Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, known as your third molars, are the four additional teeth at the back your mouth that normally erupt sometime between the ages of 17 – 25. The average human mouth has 32 teeth; although typically most adults only have room for 28. When there is no room for wisdom teeth to erupt, painful problems can occur and surgical extraction becomes necessary. Throughout his 34 year career, Dr. Eklund has successfully removed over 100,000 wisdom teeth.

Do I Need to Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed. If your gum tissue is healthy and your wisdom teeth have erupted in a normal, upright position, then you shouldn’t need to have your wisdom teeth extracted.The problem occurs when your wisdom teeth fail to erupt (become impacted), erupt in an abnormal position and get trapped beneath the gum and bone. Often even when wisdom teeth do erupt there is insufficient room to clean them resulting in cavities and/or gum disease.

Wisdom teeth that are not properly positioned in the mouth can cause serious problems including bacteria growth and infection, which leads to swelling, stiffness, illness, and pain. Damage can occur without you being aware of it. Impacted wisdom teeth crowd your existing teeth and damage their roots. In serious cases, cysts or tumors can form around an impacted wisdom tooth, which can permanently damage your jawbone, adjacent healthy teeth, and the surrounding bone and nerves. Wisdom teeth removal usually solves these problems.

Earlier is Best

The best time to have your wisdom teeth removed is before they start causing problems.  Wisdom teeth are easier to remove in young adults since their roots have not completely formed and the surrounding bone is softer.Young adults heal faster and have less surgical risks because there is less of a chance for damaging nearby nerves or other structures during the surgery. Older patients who undergo wisdom tooth removal are at greater risk for surgical complications and for diseases such as periodontitis.

Patients normally come to Dr. Eklund after being evaluated by their family dentist. Dr. Eklund has extensive experience in wisdom tooth extraction. They will evaluate the position of your wisdom teeth through an oral examination and X-rays. If your doctor determines that your wisdom teeth need to be removed, he will explain the procedure to you, outline what to expect, answer any questions you have, and do his best to alleviate any fears.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure

Your wisdom tooth extraction surgery should take from one to two hours, depending on the number of teeth removed and the level of complication. During the procedure, if your wisdom teeth have erupted, the teeth will be loosened and then extracted with dental forceps. If the wisdom tooth is impacted, then the doctor will make a small incision in the gum to reach the tooth.

After the wisdom teeth have been removed, Dr. Eklund may smooth and shape the underlying bone.After surgery is complete, the gum will be closed with dissolving sutures.  You will rest under our supervision in the office until you are ready to be taken home. Upon discharge, your post-operative kit will include care and treatment instructions, a prescription for pain medication, antibiotics, and Peridex mouth rinse. Patients are encouraged to call with questions or problems before or after their scheduled post-op visit.

Wisdom tooth removal is an outpatient procedure performed in complete comfort at Southwest Oral & Implant Surgery’s sterile surgical suite. You have a choice of anesthesia options including local anesthesia, local anesthesia with nitrous (laughing gas), or intravenous (IV) sedation (twilight sleep or conscious sedation). No matter which option you choose, the trained staff at Southwest Oral & Implant Surgery will be at your side to reassure you and answer any questions you may have.

Contact Us

If you are a dentist or a physician who is interested in referring your patients to Dr. Eklund, visit the Referring Doctors section for more information. If you are a patient who would like to schedule an appointment, visit the Contact Us section for hours, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.