Wisdom Teeth Extractions

Dr. Matthew Harris, our dentist here at Lake of Pines Dental, has made it a priority to provide any type of service that a patient may need here in our office. Specializing in many forms of dentistry, Dr. Harris has had the opportunity to help patients here in Auburn, California, with some of the most extensive dental work including wisdom teeth extractions. 

At most general dental practices, dentists perform regular extractions but refer out to oral surgeons to perform wisdom teeth extractions. We perform all of our extractions in the office with the proper techniques and sedation methods.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction Details

Our wisdom teeth are the third back molars that are hidden under the gums until they are ready to erupt. Generally, patients can expect their wisdom teeth to start to show between the ages of 17-25. Although this is the time they are expected to erupt, in some cases, some wisdom teeth won’t erupt or you might be missing one.

Why get them removed? 

Although it might seem great to have 4 new teeth to use, some severe issues can come when your wisdom teeth are ready to grow in. Below are some of the main reasons why it is recommended for you to get your wisdom teeth removed professionally. 

  • There might not be enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to grow properly and not affect your smile. 
  • Because of your other molars already being in a set position, if the wisdom teeth try to move into place, they could cause breakage and serious damage to the surrounding molars.
  • Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain and damage to your sinuses once they start to grow in. Pain in the wisdom tooth area, congestion, and pressure are signs that your wisdom teeth are affecting your sinuses. 
  • Wisdom teeth, if grown fully, are located in a hard-to-reach area which means they accumulate decay and are hard to clean.

There are some cases where wisdom teeth do not need to be removed, these include: 

  • If wisdom teeth have already grown in full and did not cause harm to surround teeth. If they are healthy and haven’t changed the anatomy of your smile, they don’t need to be removed. 
  • Before erupting, we can detect whether or not you have room in your mouth, gums, and jaw bone to hold another 4 teeth. If there is significant space and no harm will befall you, there is a chance the wisdom teeth can grow in. 

Sedation Method 

Getting your wisdom teeth removed is a serious and lengthy process, because of this we give our patients IV sedation that will put them to sleep during the procedure. 

If you are unsure whether or not you or your child requires a wisdom tooth extraction, contact us, Lake of Pines Dental here in Auburn, California, for a consultation.