Tooth Extraction / Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Tooth Extraction / Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Tooth Extraction / Wisdom Tooth Extraction

It is quite common that during tooth extraction, jaw bone around the tooth is broken off. Periodontists are trained to perform atraumatic tooth extraction in order to preserve as much jaw bone around tooth as possible. This is especially critical when bone grafting and/or dental implant is to be done at the same time of tooth extraction. The more the jaw bone is preserved, the better the chance of bone growth, as remaining jaw bone itself is a source of stem cells that repopulate the extraction sockets. In addition, atraumatic tooth extraction leads to better preservation of gum contour, which is critical to the esthetic outcome of the treatment.

When wisdom teeth are properly erupted into the oral cavity, with proper home care and regular dental hygiene visits, these wisdom teeth do not need to be removed. However, when wisdom teeth do not erupt properly (e.g. partial eruption, soft tissue impaction, partial bony impaction, growing sideways), they need to be removed as soon as possible. Prompt removal of wisdom teeth in these situations lead to the following: 1) decreased risk of surgical complications, 2) decreased chance of mal-alignment of front teeth, 3) decreased chance for secondary dental cavities at second molars, and 4) decreased risks for gum disease at the second molar areas.