Wisdom Teeth Extractions in Easton, PA

Your third and final molars to emerge are your wisdom teeth, which usually come in when you are between 17 and 25 years old. While many people do not experience problems with these new teeth, many others find that theirs must be removed. If your mouth does not have enough room for these molars to come in, a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary, and at our office in Easton, PA, Dr. Alan Dilsaver can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is the best course of action for you.

Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they become impacted, which means that the tooth does not have enough room to come in straight through the gums and instead emerges at an angle. This can cause pain, damage to the jaw and a more crooked smile. Additionally, the site of impaction can become a bacterial hotspot since impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean.

Wisdom teeth extractions can range from removing a single tooth to removing all four teeth at once. Dr. Dilsaver will let you know what he thinks is best for you. For the procedure, he will use either a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate you while the teeth are extracted. The tooth will then be accessed through an incision in the gums and wiggled until it is loose enough to be lifted out. If the tooth is too deeply embedded to be removed this way, it will be broken up into pieces before being removed.

Whether you are already feeling pain due to impacted wisdom teeth or have not yet felt them come in, we can determine if your wisdom teeth will cause problems for you. To schedule an appointment at Lehigh Valley Smiles, call (610) 252-7414. For more information, visit www.lehighvalleysmiles.com.

Extractions in Easton, PA

If decay has reached too deeply into one of your teeth or if an infection has damaged too much of the supporting bone or tissue, you will need a tooth extraction, and at Lehigh Valley Smiles, Dr. Alan Dilsaver can perform one to help you restore your oral health in Easton, PA.  

Before the procedure is performed, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the extraction site. If it is a simple extraction, the tooth will be loosened with an elevator and then extracted with forceps. Dr. Dilsaver may choose to smooth and contour the underlying bone afterward, and once he is finished, he will suture the gums.

After the extraction, it is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. A dry, sterile gauze will be placed over the gums to limit bleeding. You must make sure to keep it in place for 30 to 45 minutes while the blood clots. During the 24 hours after the procedure, you should not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or clean the teeth immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Strenuous activity, hot liquids and straw drinking should also be avoided. A certain amount of pain and discomfort accompanies an extraction, so a painkiller may be prescribed.

If you are suffering pain from decay, infection or impaction, the dentist can determine if a tooth extraction is required to save your smile. Schedule an appointment at our practice in by calling (610) 252-7414. For more information, visit www.lehighvalleysmiles.net.

Do You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Wisdom teeth are your last set of molars to come in and usually emerge when you are between 17 and 21 years old. Since wisdom teeth can often become impacted, which means they come in at an angle rather than straight through the gums, it is often necessary to remove them before they cause pain or begin to push on your other teeth. Dr. Alan Dilsaver commonly performs wisdom teeth extractions at Lehigh Valley Smiles in Easton, PA.

If a wisdom tooth is impacted and can only emerge partially, it is possible for an operculum to form over the tooth. Once this flap of skin forms, the tooth will be hard to clean and can become infected. This infection is called pericoronitis.

When a wisdom tooth is in danger of causing such problems, Dr. Dilsaver will extract the tooth. Many times all four are removed at once. This is done either by using a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate the patient. It depends on the preference of the doctor and patient, as well as how far the wisdom tooth has emerged. After an anesthetic is applied, the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth is cut and the tooth is loosened and pulled out. If necessary, the gums will be sutured.

After the surgery, rest is required, and you will need to change the gauze applied to the incision every couple hours. To see if your wisdom teeth may need to be removed, schedule an appointment with us in Easton, PA by calling (610) 252-7414. For more information, visit www.LehighValleySmiles.net.