Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Orthodontists spend time—often years—perfecting a young adult’s mouth, making sure it is healthy and straight. During the later teenage years, as wisdom teeth begin to break through the gum line, they may not come in perfectly straight. Oftentimes, due to the lack of space in the jaw, wisdom teeth begin to erupt at an angle, which can affect the surrounding teeth.

Wisdom teeth may need to be removed if they are causing the following problems:

• Pain or infection
• Damage to adjacent teeth
• Tooth decay or gum disease

Orthodontists may also request the removal of wisdom teeth as part of the patient’s orthodontic treatment plan.

If patients experience any of the above pain or discomfort, it is important that the patient consult their dentist to discuss treatment and procedure options. Impacted wisdom teeth may be painful, cause irritation, and affect the health of the surrounding teeth.

For more information regarding impacted or unerupted teeth, please feel free to explore the American Dental Association’s website by clicking HERE.

If impacted wisdom teeth need to be removed, a dentist will perform an oral evaluation and put together a treatment plan. The oral evaluation may consist of taking x-rays to examine the mouth in greater detail. Most wisdom teeth removals are outpatient procedures and can be completed by a dentist or an oral surgeon if the case includes complications.

Dr. Alexander Ash of Studio Dental Care located in Studio City, California offers consultations, oral exams, routine dentist appointments, and specialized treatments for patients of all ages. Dr. Alexander Ash provides general and cosmetic dentistry services, and happily serves new and returning patients throughout the greater Los Angeles area, including Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Toluca Lake, and Studio City California.