Surgical removal, or in other words, extraction of wisdom teeth, is one of the most common dental procedures in modern dentistry, and the dentists at Bethlehem Dental Centre regularly perform emergency and scheduled wisdom tooth extraction.
Despite being so common, and even with all the advances of modern dentistry and dental anesthesiology, wisdom tooth extraction is still feared by most patients, and is thought of as something painful and traumatic. While we wont deny that wisdom tooth extraction is a rather significant intrusion to everyday life, we would like to assure all the patients of Bethlehem Dental Centre that in most cases the story of such dramatic experiences reflects the “old days”, and, now, dentists have perfected the wisdom tooth extraction technique to an entirely new level, severely reducing pain and recovery time.
Many patients in Tauranga put off wisdom tooth extraction for as long as possible, hoping that any pain they feel from their wisdom teeth will eventually disappear or can be controlled with antibiotics or with pain killers. However, extracting problematic wisdom teeth is the only realistic solution, as ignoring painful wisdom teeth can lead to infection, swelling, extended pain, and, in some cases, even obstructed breathing and further serious complications. The dentists at Bethlehem Dental Centre routinely inspect patients’ wisdom teeth during dental check-ups to determine whether they should be extracted.
To understand why wisdom teeth can be so painful, it is first best to know the nature of the wisdom tooth itself. The term “wisdom teeth” refers to four adult molars located in each quadrant of the jaw. Originally, wisdom teeth developed in the jaws of our early ancestors to help grind down plants and other sturdy foods. In the modern world, most of us have fully developed wisdom teeth by the age of 25. Over time, the amount of room in the human jaw decreased, and the available room for the wisdom teeth to erupt was also decreased, leading to impacted wisdom teeth and painful dental problems for most of us.
According to statistics available from the USA, which proportionately reflect the situation in other developed countries, including New Zealand, each year 5 million Americans undergo wisdom tooth extraction, and approximately 12 percent of untreated wisdom teeth result in an infection and other painful problems.
IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR WISDOM TEETH, the dentists at Bethlehem Dental Centre recommend you to book an appointment at our Tauranga dental clinic today, or you may discuss the sutuation with your wisdom teeth with our dentists during your routine dental check-up.
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