What are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are your third, and last, set of molars to come in. Wisdom teeth usually come in somewhere between the ages of 17 to 25. 

Why Do They Matter?

When wisdom teeth come in, they are usually misaligned. This means they can crowd or damage nearby teeth, or even your jawbone or nerves. 

Impacted wisdom teeth are when wisdom teeth are stuck under your gums, or only partially break through the gums. Impacted wisdom teeth are often difficult to brush because of their position in the mouth, making tooth decay or gum disease more likely. Additionally, they can allow an opening for bacteria around the tooth, and a resulting infection can cause pain and swelling.

What Do I Do About Wisdom Teeth?

First, talk to your dentist about wisdom teeth. He or she can regularly x-ray your teeth, and decide if you should see an oral surgeon.

Sometimes, a dentist or oral surgeon will recommend removing wisdom teeth early. This will keep problems from developing later, and prevent a more complicated future surgery. It is also easier to remove wisdom teeth in young people before the roots are completely developed. 

What Does Wisdom Teeth Removal Involve?

The oral surgeon will give you either a local anesthetic to numb the area around where the wisdom teeth are being removed or a general anesthetic, depending on the procedure. The surgeon may also give you a sedative, you should ask your surgeon about this before the surgery to make sure you can drive yourself afterward.

What Can I Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal?

Only consume liquids until the numbness from the anesthesia wears off. After that, only eat soft foods for a few days. Depending on the type of pain medication you’re taking, you may need to avoid alcohol.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Recovery?

Take any antibiotics or pain medication as prescribed by your doctor. It’s also important to keep brushing your teeth after a wisdom tooth removal but avoid the area where your wisdom teeth were removed for a day. Brush this area gently afterward.

Face swelling around the extraction site is common for the first day after removal. Bleeding may occur for several hours after the surgery as well. 

A dry socket is another common complication that usually occurs several days after the extraction. A dry socket is caused by a blood clot failing to form in a removed tooth’s socket or when a blood clot did form but got dislodged. This slows the healing process and can cause moderate to severe pain. If you experience dry socket, contact your dentist or oral surgeon for treatment.

Learn More About Wisdom Teeth Removal

Invisalign® revolutionized the way people look at orthodontic treatment. The clear aligner system from Invisalign® made it possible for people to discreetly improve their smiles. While Invisalign® allows people to love the appearance of their smile and avoids many of the discomforts of braces throughout the process, there should be more to consider when choosing orthodontic treatment. You should consider which treatment option will best treat your situation. While you should speak with our doctors before making your final decision, we have included issues that Invisalign® can effectively treat.

Crooked Teeth

Invisalign® is very effective at treating crooked teeth. Clear aligners offer a great solution for people to align their teeth and love their smiles.

Overbite & Underbite

Invisalign® can be used to treat both an overbite and an underbite. An overbite is when the top front teeth extend beyond the bottom of your bottom front teeth. An underbite is when the lower jaw rests in front of the top jaw when the mouth is closed. Invisalign® can be used to move either the top or bottom teeth into the right place so that they align properly with the mouth closed.

Crossbite

A crossbite occurs when teeth don’t line up properly with the mouth closed. This could be the top teeth in the back of your mouth resting inside your bottom teeth or could be one or more of your top front teeth resting behind your bottom front teeth. Invisalign® can move teeth into the proper positions and treat a crossbite.

Gaps in Teeth & Crowded Teeth

These opposite issues can both be treated by Invisalign®. Gaps in teeth occur when there are large spaces between teeth. Crowded teeth happen when there is not enough room in the jaw for all of the teeth, often causing them to overlap or twist. Crowded teeth can make it easy for food to get stuck or plaque to build up, and should be addressed to keep optimal oral health.

Limitations of Invisalign®

While Invisalign® is an excellent option for many orthodontic issues, it does have its limitations. There are times when it may be best to go with braces. For severe orthodontic issues and intrusion and extrusion, braces often offer the force that is needed. It’s also important to note that Invisalign® continues to get better and better. We can now treat more complex orthodontic situations than we could even a few years ago. If you think Invisalign® is the right treatment option for you, contact our office at 804-861-6464.

Learn More About Invisalign®

What Are the Pros and Cons of Dental Implants?

One of the hottest topics in dentistry today is the use of dental implants. Implants have certainly revolutionized the field of replacement teeth. If you are considering tooth implants for missing teeth, you need to know the facts. There are pros and cons of dental implants that are carefully weighed by your dentist before surgery can be scheduled.

Research continually shows that dental implants are the best long-term solution to replace missing teeth. However, like any type of surgery, there are advantages and disadvantages.

Cons of Dental Implants

No procedure is right for everyone, including dental implants. While there are some risks associated with dental implants, they are relatively mild. The disadvantages include:

You have to meet a set of requirements

To have dental implant surgery, you first have to meet certain criteria. As the procedure involves anchoring the implant to your jaw bone, if you’ve experienced significant bone loss as a result of losing teeth, there may not be enough for the dental implant to be successful. You also have to be in good health so your jawbone can fully recover.

The cost of the procedure

While dental implants are the best long-term solution for tooth loss, they’re not always the most cost-effective. However, dental implants are well worth the price for the comfort, confidence, and natural feel they give you.

The procedure can be lengthy

Dental implants are not a quick fix and can take several months to complete. If you’re replacing an existing damaged tooth, this will first need to be removed. Your dentist will then need to prepare the tooth site before fitting the implant anchor. Once the anchor has been fitted, you’ll need to wait several months while it heals and the surrounding bone grows. The final stage of the procedure involves placing the artificial tooth.

Pros of Dental Implants

While there are some drawbacks to dental implants, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

They look and feel like natural teeth

Dental implants have the appearance of real teeth. Once your implant has been fitted, you’ll hardly be able to tell the difference between your replacement tooth and your real teeth. Implants also won’t feel any different from your regular teeth. Since the implants are anchored to your jaw, they’ll feel just as strong as your regular teeth too.

You can eat and chew with ease

Unlike dentures, implants won’t feel any different than your regular teeth when eating and chewing. Once the dental implant procedure is complete, you can eat what you want! Whether you fancy crunchy snacks, chewy foods, or hot or cold drinks, you can eat and drink without concern — just remember not to overdo the sugary treats.

Dental implants can last a lifetime

Implants are a long-lasting tooth replacement solution. You may need to replace the crowns every 10-15 years, but if you look after the implants, they can last a lifetime.

They’re easy to take care of

You should take care of your implants the same way you would take care of your regular teeth with daily brushing and flossing, regular dental checkups, and a healthy diet.

They prevent bone loss

Dental implants are anchored into your jaw, similar to your real teeth. The screw thread of the implant acts as the root of a natural tooth, so with dental implants, your jaw bone remains strong and you won’t experience bone loss.

You can see that the advantages heavily outweigh the disadvantages. Dental implants have been proven to be a great option for people who suffer from tooth loss. We always want to make our patients look and feel great, and dental implants are a great way to do that. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, so give us a call!