Questions about impacted wisdom teeth answered in our Greensboro, NC office

The best time to take a look at wisdom teeth is before they cause any problems. Dr. Steven Hatcher offers the knowledge and experience patients in Greensboro, NC need to help them make decisions on what steps they should take with regards to wisdom teeth extraction.

Wisdom teeth are the last molars to come in at the back of the mouth. Ideally, the growth of these molars will be monitored through the teen years. Wisdom teeth that are not removed may lead to costly and painful complications. If the teeth are able to fully grow in, they may push against adjacent teeth, negatively affecting alignment. Overcrowding can increase the chance for decay, as well. Because they are located in the very back of the mouth, these teeth can be hard to properly care for and may be more likely to develop cavities and infection. For these reasons, it may be desirable to have wisdom teeth extracted in the office of your experienced dentist. The removal procedure is made comfortable with local anesthesia and with sedation if requested.

Very often a person’s mouth does not have room to allow third molars to come in, so they remain below the surface of the gums. This situation is referred to as impacted wisdom teeth. In the case where part of a tooth is able to surface but not all of it, this is partial impaction. In order to evaluate what is best for a patient, Dr. Hatcher will take x-rays and assess each situation individually in our comfortable Greensboro, NC office.

In many cases, if wisdom teeth are not removed, the patient may also experience pain or swelling. There are also situations where a cyst could develop on an impacted tooth and cause pain and infection. These issues can be avoided if wisdom teeth are monitored and extracted in a timely manner.

Wisdom teeth can be removed in a straightforward in-office procedure that takes typically less than an hour to complete. A small cut is made in the gums to access and remove each tooth. Stitches may be placed to close the empty sockets, and gauze will be placed in order to minimize swelling and bleeding. Dr. Hatcher will provide after-procedure instructions to facilitate a smooth recovery. These will include suggestions on what to eat and how to keep the surgical sites clean to allow proper healing. Follow-up will be scheduled to be sure healing has progressed as expected.

For the best in care and help in navigating decisions for oral care treatments and surgeries, call and make an appointment with Dr. Steven Hatcher’s office. Experience for yourself the benefits of personal care already enjoyed by his other dentistry patients.

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Dr. Steven Hatcher

Dr. Chad Merrell

Dr. Sona Isharani

Dr. Victoria Santiago-Coiro

Dr. Chavala M. Harris

Dr. Steven Hatcher, Dr. Chad Merrell, Dr. Sona Isharani, Dr. Victoria Santiago-Coiro, and Dr. Chavala M. Harris comprise the team of qualified and experienced doctors at Triad Dentistry. They are passionate and driven professionals who strive to preserve and enhance the natural beauty in every dental treatment. Together with the other members of the team, they focus on developing an individualist approach when it comes to treating patients to ensure patient care is a tailor-made experience for the comfort of each client.