Dr. Paul Kaushgerian, DMD, MD Claimed

WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last set of molars to erupt in the mouth. The human mouth typically does not have enough room for these teeth, which can cause them to grow in at odd angles. When a wisdom tooth grows sideways into the molar beside it and cannot emerge successfully in the mouth, it is considered to be impacted. This can result in a lot of pain and oral health issues. To eliminate the possibility for impaction, it is recommended that wisdom teeth get removed in the mid to late teen years.

At The Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Specialists of San Diego, our oral surgeons are experts at wisdom teeth extraction. The third molars, or wisdom teeth, begin to emerge into the mouth around the ages of 17 to 23, after beginning their development in the jaw in the early teen years. These extra molars often cause oral health complications such as overcrowding, impaction (a tooth that is trapped under the gums), infection, pain, cysts, and more. Wisdom teeth complications are more easily treated in younger patients (or can be completely avoided), and because of this, most dental professionals recommend that wisdom teeth be removed early. The family dentist will monitor you or your child’s wisdom teeth development during regular dental checkups. An experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon will step in to perform the extraction procedure once it has been decided that these molars should be removed.

WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL PROCESS

During your consultation appointment with Drs. Koshgerian or Shelton, you will receive an oral examination and, if needed, have diagnostic scans of your mouth taken. Your oral surgeon will study the position of the wisdom teeth to create a personalized treatment plan, including the type of anesthesia that will maximize your or your child’s comfort during the procedure. Both of our trusted oral surgeons have extensive training and experience in the safe administration of various types of anesthesia for patients, and our clinical staff is skilled in anesthesia techniques. For optimal safety, the extractions will be performed in the comfort of one of our accredited and certified hospital-style surgical suites using state-of-the-art monitoring equipment. In our San Diego area locations, we offer several types of anesthesia for wisdom teeth removal, including

• Local anesthesia. Local anesthesia is used in all oral surgery procedures, often along with other forms of anesthesia, and is applied directly to the surgical site. You will remain conscious throughout your procedure but will not feel any discomfort.
• Nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Nitrous oxide is an inhaled gas that is commonly used along with other types of anesthesia to help put the patient in a more relaxed state during a procedure. Nitrous oxide has a mild pain controlling effect but allows the patient to remain conscious.
• Intravenous (IV) sedation. Wisdom teeth extraction is usually performed under intravenous (IV) sedation. With this type of IV anesthesia, you will enter a sleep-like state and have no awareness of the procedure as it is taking place. You must not have anything to eat or drink (excluding prescription medications with a sip of water) for at least six hours before receiving IV sedation — and a responsible adult should drive you home after your surgery.