Wisdom Teeth Removal in Fresno & The Central Valley

Your wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars to emerge in the back of the mouth. They usually don’t come in until you are in your mid-teens or later, and often lead to problems when they finally erupt. At our oral surgery practice, wisdom teeth removal is routinely performed on teens and young adults, using a variety of anesthesia options to ensure patient comfort and safety in Visalia, Hanford, Tulare, Porterville, and Fresno CA.

Why Would I need my Wisdom Teeth Removed?

For the majority of people, there is not enough room in the back of the mouth for the wisdom teeth to fully emerge. The wisdom teeth may become trapped in the jawbone, come in crookedly, or only partially, making it difficult to keep them clean. They can also shift the molars in front of them out of alignment.

Reasons Wisdom Teeth Removal is Important:

 

Signs You May Need Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

While some individuals have no symptoms that indicate they need wisdom teeth removal, their dentist may recommend it because X-rays or digital images show the tooth or teeth are in a position that could lead to serious issues down the road. Proactive removal is often the best choice. However, for many patients, there are obvious signs that indicate one or more wisdom teeth need to be removed, including:

• Pain in the back of the mouth.
• Inflamed or puffy gums at the back of the mouth.
• Bleeding or pus at the back of the mouth.
• An earache or headache that originates in the jaw.
• Difficulty opening your mouth or chewing food.
• Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.
• A swollen, painful jaw.
• A cyst, blister, or pimple on the gumline.

Any of the above symptoms should be evaluated by your dentist or one of our oral surgeons, as they may indicate an impacted or partially impacted wisdom tooth that needs to be removed as soon as possible.

Benefits of Wisdom Teeth Removal

• Protects Your Other Teeth: If you don’t remove wisdom teeth, they can push other teeth out of place, making them crooked or even cracking them.
• Prevents Pain & Infection: When trapped in the gums or jawbone, impacted teeth can cause pain, swelling, and infection. Wisdom teeth removal prevents this.
• Eliminates Risk of Complications: Serious complications such as cysts, abscesses, and even tumors can develop around trapped wisdom teeth.
• Less Risk of Nerve Damage: When wisdom teeth are removed earlier (in your teens or early twenties), there is less risk of nerve damage. As we age, the roots of our wisdom teeth grow longer, sometimes impinging on the nerves in the base of the jawbone. Later removal runs the risk of nerve damage.
• Better Oral Hygiene: It is easier to clean your first and second molars if they are not crowded or overlapped by wisdom teeth.

Wisdom Teeth Removal Process

Diagnosis & Treatment Planning

After an oral examination, scans, and digital imaging to determine whether the wisdom teeth need to be removed, your oral surgeon will prepare a treatment plan and answer any questions you or your child has.

Sedation

Before beginning wisdom teeth surgery, the area is numbed with a local anesthetic, and we provide appropriate sedation (typically IV sedation) to relax you and prevent any pain during the procedure.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

After making an incision and peeling back the gum tissue, we remove the teeth. If necessary, we will “section” the tooth, cutting it into  pieces for easier removal. If the tooth is trapped in the jawbone, we cut through the bone for access to the tooth’s roots for easier removal. The gums are then sutured closed over the extraction site.

Packing the Wound

Your surgical team will pack the area with gauze to apply pressure to the area, protecting the incision site and preventing excessive bleeding.

Going Home

You will need someone to drive you home, as your sedation may not wear off completely for up to 24 hours. You may feel drowsy and will not be able to drive. For the first day, you will be on a liquid diet and should rest, stay hydrated, and avoid strenuous activities. For the first week, a soft diet will give your mouth time to heal and prevent damage to the surgical site. By the end of the week, you should feel well enough to start adding normal foods back into your diet.

What Does Wisdom Tooth Removal Cost, and Is It Covered by Insurance?

The fee for your treatment is determined by several factors. These may include the difficulty involved in removing your teeth and the type of anesthesia that is best for you. During your consultation appointment, the surgeon will need to review your X-rays, perform an examination, and determine the best anesthesia option before an accurate estimate can be provided. Each insurance company has different guidelines surrounding the extent of coverage for wisdom teeth removal. The office staff at Central Valley OMS will help you obtain maximum insurance coverage for your treatment.

Wisdom Tooth Removal Appointment

If you or your child needs wisdom tooth removal in Fresno, CA, our experienced team is here to help. Call Visalia Office Phone Number (559) 732-7946 to schedule a consultation. We also provide wisdom teeth removal for patients in Visalia, Hanford, Tulare, Porterville, and surrounding Central Valley communities.

 

Wisdom Teeth FAQs

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---