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7905 East 106th Street Tulsa, OK 74133

Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Out?

Wisdom teeth removal is a common procedure for patients in their late teens and early twenties. This is when the wisdom teeth normally begin to erupt and cause problems in the mouth. How do you know if yours definitely need to be taken out? Dr. Frank Henrich, an experienced dentist in Tulsa, OK, lets you know the signs you should look for and what the wisdom teeth removal process looks like.dentist in tulsa, oklahoma

The Problems of Wisdom Teeth

The biggest issue most people have with wisdom teeth is that they don’t have enough room in their mouth to fit them. This can cause all sorts of issues with the rest of your teeth. You may have crooked and/or overcrowded teeth because your wisdom teeth are erupting and forcing them to move. It usually comes with some pain in the mouth or jaw.

Wisdom teeth can also be unpredictable. They may erupt sideways or in another weird position, causing problems for your smile and rendering them unusable. If you have impacted teeth, it means they were somehow blocked from erupting. These are especially essential to remove.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

The intensity of the procedure depends on the state of your wisdom teeth. If they’re impacted and in an odd position, you’ll be under a little longer to get them out. However, this is a procedure that many dentists recommend you don’t go without. Many recommend that you get your wisdom teeth out for preventative care, even if they haven’t erupted.

Dr. Henrich will thoroughly examine your mouth and take x-rays to see where your wisdom teeth are situated. He’ll be able to tell you whether or not you’ll definitely need a wisdom tooth extraction. In rare cases, wisdom teeth don’t cause any problems for people and they come in normally. Our office will never recommend that you get a surgery that you don’t need if this is the case.

Non-Wisdom Teeth Extractions

Sometimes, tooth extractions are needed for our regular teeth. These are ones that have already erupted but are still causing issues in the mouth. Common reasons for needing this done include advanced tooth decay that can’t be remedied with root canal therapy or overcrowding of the teeth.

For non-wisdom teeth, the procedure is pretty standard. Dr. Henrich will carefully detach the ligaments connecting the tooth to the gums. He’ll then gently wiggle the tooth back and forth until if fully detaches and comes out of the socket. Gauze is placed into the empty socket to ensure no debris gets into it. You’ll also get specific aftercare instructions to follow.

If you want to replace the tooth that needed to be pulled, we have multiple options available. The gold standard for tooth replacement, we recommend that dental implants be your choice, particularly if you’re only missing a single tooth. Henrich Dental also offers dental bridges and dentures for tooth replacement purposes.

Tooth Extraction at Your Tulsa, Oklahoma Dentist

Do you think you need your wisdom teeth out or another form of tooth extraction? Call us today or schedule an appointment online to get started!