Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Learn more about how we assess and extract wisdom teeth. Your third set of molars, commonly called wisdom teeth, are the final set of your adult teeth to emerge. Unfortunately, evolution has left us with slightly smaller jaws than our ancestors, and the third molars rarely grow in without incident. Often, there is not enough room for the wisdom teeth to properly erupt from your gums, and they can crowd or impact your existing molars, potentially resulting in damage to your teeth and gums. Normally the wisdom teeth are extracted before they emerge from your gums, so their extraction is a surgical procedure. We make incisions in your gums over the wisdom teeth and extract them, then close the incisions with sutures. Because wisdom teeth extraction is a surgical procedure, post-operative care is important. We may prescribe pain medication for pain control. You can also apply ice packs or a bag of frozen vegetables to the area beginning the day after surgery to control swelling and provide additional relief.