Wisdom Teeth Extractions in Horsham, PA

• The wisdom tooth is impacted against the second molar or bone, which could damage the second molar or never erupt properly.
• There’s not enough space, indicating it will likely crowd other teeth or come in at an awkward angle.
• Partially erupted wisdom teeth are trapping food and bacteria, leading to swollen, painful gums or repeated infections.
• The wisdom tooth has a cavity or causes a cavity in the neighboring tooth that can’t be easily fixed due to its position.
• Orthodontic reasons: If you had braces, sometimes wisdom teeth are removed to prevent them from undoing the alignment gains (though research is mixed, many orthodontists prefer them out as a precaution).
• Cysts or pathology: Rarely, an impacted tooth can form a cyst; removing the tooth resolves that.

Wisdom tooth extraction procedure: The complexity ranges. Upper wisdom teeth often are simpler because bone is softer; lowers can be trickier especially if deeply impacted. Dr. Lala will examine the case – if it’s extremely complex (like touching a major nerve or embedded in the jawbone at a difficult angle), we might refer you to an oral surgeon specialist. However, many cases we handle here, especially if at least part of the tooth is erupted.

We’ll numb the area thoroughly. If you’re anxious, we can use nitrous oxide or oral sedation to help you relax. For an impacted tooth under the gums, we make a small incision in the gum tissue and may remove a bit of bone covering the tooth. Often, we section the tooth into smaller pieces to take it out with minimal bone removal. You may feel pressure and perhaps some vibration, but not pain. The tooth (or pieces) are removed, and then we clean the area. We may place stitches (sutures) that either dissolve or will be removed in about a week. The whole process per tooth can be just a few minutes or longer if very impacted – we’ll give an estimate based on your specific situation.

For many young people, we remove all four wisdom teeth in one session so they only go through healing once. With sedation, they’re often pleasantly unaware of the procedure and it’s done before they know it.

Aftercare for wisdom teeth removal: Plan to rest for a couple of days. The first 24-48 hours you can expect swelling (especially for lower wisdom teeth) and some discomfort or jaw stiffness. We’ll provide pain medication and possibly an antibiotic if needed. Use ice packs on the cheeks 20 minutes on/off for the first day to reduce swelling. Eat soft, cool foods at first (smoothies, yogurt, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, etc.). Avoid spitting, using straws, or vigorous rinsing for 24 hours to protect the blood clots in the sockets. Starting day 2, gentle saltwater rinses help with cleanliness. Keep your head elevated when resting to minimize swelling.

By day 3 or so, swelling usually peaks then begins to subside. Most people are feeling much better by day 5-7 and can resume normal diet and activities (unless told otherwise). We’ll schedule a follow-up if needed to check healing or remove stitches.

Removing wisdom teeth before they cause issues can save you pain and complications down the road. We’ve guided countless Horsham and Ambler teens (and some adults who procrastinated!) through the process with success. Parents appreciate our thorough explanations and gentle touch with their kids. If your child is nearing that age or if you’re having trouble with a wisdom tooth, come in for an evaluation. Dr. Lala will give honest advice – maybe you’re one of the lucky few with roomy jaws and can keep them, but if not, we’ll make the removal as easy as possible.