Wisdom Teeth: How to Deal with Problems

Wisdom teeth can be problematic. When impacted, the wisdom tooth or part of it may be trapped inside the gums, creating a space where bacteria can accumulate. In cases where only a portion of the tooth erupts, a flap may form where food particles could get stuck. This would generally be difficult to clean, leading to infection, tooth decay, and pain, in addition to foul breath and possible pus discharge. Your trusted dentist in Scranton, PA is likely to recommend extraction before the problem progresses into something worse, such as the development of tumors, extensive tooth decay, or pericoronitis (swelling of the affected gum).

To start treatment, your dentist will first examine the position and health of your wisdom tooth. If it is impacted, surgery may be required. In milder cases, they can be extracted just like any other teeth. Dentists generally use anesthetics to numb the area, but some offer IV sedation dentistry for Scranton residents.

With IV sedation, patients are put in a semi-conscious state. This allows the dentist to perform dental procedures, like extraction, with little resistance even from the most fearful patients, but still be able to communicate with the patient. Once the procedure is done, the patient will have little to no memory of it. Sedation dentistry is highly recommended for people with dental anxiety or fear, or those who have conditions, like sensitive teeth, strong gag reflex, and jaw pain or back pain, which make it hard for the dentist to perform the procedure.