Oral Surgery Recovery

There are several reasons why a patient may need oral surgery but the most common reasons here at Advantage Dentistry are tooth extraction and/or receiving dental implants. Wisdom teeth are commonly removed because they increase a patient’s risk of infection, while dental implants are an option for patients who are missing teeth. Regardless of why you need an oral surgery procedure, we are here to assist you on your road to recovery.

After the oral surgery procedure is complete, our doctors at Advantage Dentistry will give you a list of foods to eat afterward. You will be consuming a soft diet for a few days to allow the sutures to heal. Swelling is normal after tooth extraction but to keep swelling down to a minimum, use an ice pack to alleviate pain. Bleeding is normal but can be controlled by placing wet gauze on the extraction site. Keep the area as clean as possible but do not resume your oral hygiene routine until instructed to do so.

If you have questions or concerns about oral surgery, please give us a call. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide. 

Wisdom Tooth Decay

As we age, we acquire wisdom, and the same goes for wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth appear between the ages of 17-21 and are known as the third set of molars. When they erupt correctly, healthy wisdom teeth can help you chomp your food a little faster.  However, if they start to cause you pain and discomfort, you may need to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors at Advantage Dentistry to discuss extraction.

If you bite on a piece of food that is too hard or you experience a mouth injury, wisdom teeth may become troublesome. They can also become cracked, broken, and decayed. Decay can form on any tooth surface, but when the decay begins to attack the wisdom teeth, depending on the position of the tooth it becomes difficult to clean. Depending on the individual case, your dentist may be able to fill the tooth, but even in cases where a filling could be successfully placed, if the wisdom tooth cannot be adequately maintained, recurrent decay can occur. Though many patients tend to procrastinate through the process, extraction is always best to avoid infection.

If your wisdom teeth are still intact and you have questions about removal, please give us a call. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide. 

Tooth Extractions

Occasionally, there is a tooth that is giving enough problems to be taken out. This is usually when there is too much damage or infection to save it. At Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we work hard to save teeth; however, we can perform experienced extractions when necessary.

To extract a tooth, your dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb the area, or a general anesthetic, if the extraction is more complex. Often general anesthesia is used for wisdom teeth extractions. If an incision is needed to be made in the gums to remove the tooth, your dentist will make that incision and remove any bone tissue, if necessary. Using forceps, your doctor will rock the tooth back and forth until it is loose enough to be pulled out. Some cases need the tooth to be broken into pieces, first. Stitches are then applied, if necessary.

While it is always ideal to keep your teeth, there are many reasons a tooth may need to be extracted including damage, decay, infection, overcrowding, and more. Very commonly extracted teeth are the wisdom teeth.

If you are feeling dental pain that will not subside, it is important to have it examined. To schedule an appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at (716) 877-2275. More information about our practice can be found on our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. 

When an Extraction Could Help

Sometimes extracting a tooth is necessary for the health of your mouth. It is ideal to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible; however, it can be better to extract a problematic tooth if it is affecting your health. At Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we want our patients to understand why sometimes extracting a tooth is the right thing to do.

Decay

When decay is so bad that a filling or crown cannot fix the tooth, an extraction is the best option. Decay can lead to infection. Infection can affect the gums and other teeth. In addition, it can lead to other health risks like heart problems. This is especially important for patients with compromised immune systems.

Space

There are also cases where there just is not room for a tooth. Crowded teeth can become painful, they can lead to bad oral hygiene, and they can damage other teeth. Because they create hard-to-reach areas, bacteria can build up and cause gum disease and decay. They can create abnormal wear on teeth, creating pain and damage. Space is a common issue with wisdom teeth.

Tooth extraction is common and something we are able to provide here at our office. If you are experiencing pain to a tooth, be sure to come in for an examination. To schedule with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at (716) 877-2275. To learn more about us, visit our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. 

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

Hearing you need your wisdom teeth extracted may get you wondering about why you have those wisdom teeth anyway. With wisdom teeth extraction being as common as it is, many of our patients wonder this. At Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we are going to answer this question, and more!

Wisdom teeth are so commonly extracted because there simply is not enough room in the mouth for them to grow in properly. They often cause problems with cleanliness, pain, and destruction of other teeth. So why do we have them, anyway?

The answer dates back about 20,000 years ago. Humans back then had tougher diets; eating foods like nuts, roots, and uncooked meat. It is thought that they needed the extra teeth to chew through those tougher foods. However, these days we really no longer need the extra help. Our jaws and facial structures have shrunken over the years, which may be a nod to evolution. This also explains why so many patients need their wisdom teeth to be extracted. A smaller jaw means less room for those far-back teeth.

Wisdom teeth can cause real pain and can lead to infection if not cared for properly. If your wisdom teeth are starting to grow in, come see us for an evaluation. Call (716) 877-2275 to schedule an appointment in our Kenmore, NY office. Visit our Advantage Dentistry website, www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about us.