Wisdom Tooth Extractions – Copperas Cove, TX
Be Proactive with Problematic Tooth Removal
Like other unnecessary things in life, wisdom teeth can be tolerated until they begin to cause trouble for your oral health. Normally, these teeth may erupt when a person is 17-25 years old. For some people, they never cause any issues or even appear. But it is important to understand what they are and the difficulties they can cause in case the time comes to be proactive with problematic tooth removal. Also, if you decide to act, what do the procedure and ensuing recovery entail? To find out, continue reading or contact our team!
Why Choose Cove Choice Dental for Wisdom Tooth Extractions?
- Various Options for Sedation
- Convenient Appointment Hours
- Focus on Excellent Customer Care
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars at the very back of the mouth. Most people have four of them – one in each quadrant of their mouth. However, some people have only one or two.
They tend to develop long after the other adult teeth have already grown in when a person is older and “wiser” than they were years ago. Most scientists agree these teeth are largely unnecessary for modern humans, but they were essential for our ancestors who ate a very rough diet.
Why Do Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed?
Wisdom tooth removal is not always necessary, but that changes when these teeth pose a threat to a patient’s oral health. If your wisdom teeth are currently causing any of the following problems, or it is deemed likely they will do so in the future, your dentist in Copperas Cove will recommend you get them extracted:
- Overcrowding: The wisdom teeth can push against your other teeth causing overcrowding and misalignment.
- Infection: The wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean which means they could accumulate food particles and bacteria to easily become infected.
- Cysts and tumors: Cysts can form when fluid builds up around a tooth. This can damage the jawbone and shift the tooth out of place.
If you ever experience any discomfort around your wisdom teeth, you may require emergency treatment, so do not hesitate to call us for a same-day appointment.
What to Expect from the Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure
If your wisdom teeth have fully erupted, we may utilize basic extraction techniques to remove them. That means we will use dental forceps and an elevator to gently extract them. However, if the teeth are fully or partially impacted (stuck beneath the gumline), surgical techniques might be required to get them out.
For example, we may have to create incisions in the gums to access the tooth before carefully breaking it into smaller pieces. Regardless of the technique chosen, it’s always a priority to keep you comfortable during the procedure.
Recovering from Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Most people feel better within a week or so of their wisdom tooth extraction in Copperas Cove. In the meantime, swelling and facial soreness are normal. Some bleeding may also occur. You must be careful not to disturb the blood clots in your extraction sites.
You should eat soft foods, avoid drinking through straws, avoid smoking, and be very careful when performing oral hygiene tasks. If you have any questions or concerns during your recovery, we’ll be ready to help.
Understanding the Cost of Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Not every wisdom tooth extractaion is the same, so the overall cost of the procedure isn’t set in stone. A personalized estimate can be created at your initial consultation so that you can make an informed decision for your budget as well as your oral health. Our team is happy to help make your wisdom tooth extraction more affordable, whether that means filing dental insurance claims on your behalf or pointing you toward other financial options.
Factors That Can Impact the Cost of Wisdom Tooth Extractions
If you’re wondering how much you can expect to pay for a wisdom tooth extraction, it’s important to understand the various factors involved, such as:
- The Number of Teeth: While most people have four wisdom teeth, it’s not unheard of to have fewer or more than that. As such, the number of wisdom teeth that need to be taken out of your mouth will be at the top of the list of things to consider when determining the cost of the procedure.
- How Difficult the Teeth Are to Remove: The more complex a wisdom tooth extraction is, the more expensive it tends to be. Generally speaking, a wisdom tooth that has at least partially erupted will be easier to remove than one that is still embedded in your jaw.
- The Use of Sedation: Are you planning on being sedated for your wisdom tooth extraction? If so, you will need to account for the cost of the type of sedation used.
- Who Performs the Procedure: We can remove most wisdom teeth in-office, including those that are impacted. That said, a specialist may need to be brought in for particularly complex cases, which could affect the amount you end up paying.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Wisdom Tooth Extractions?
Yes, wisdom tooth extractions are often covered by dental insurance. Of course, no two dental insurance plans are alike, and it’s never a good idea to make assumptions about your coverage, so it’s important to double-check your benefits.
One thing to note about wisdom tooth extraction is that it can potentially be classified as a minor procedure or a major procedure depending on the specifics of your case, such as whether your wisdom teeth are impacted. As such, coverage can be around 50% or 80%. We can review your plan with you if you’re unsure about your coverage, and we can help you with whatever steps are needed to take full advantage of your benefits.
How to Make Wisdom Tooth Extractions Affordable
Even if you don’t have dental insurance, you can still apply for CareCredit, which allows you to pick a financing plan that breaks up the cost of your care into installments that are easier to pay. There are various CareCredit plans to choose from that have little to no interest attached. Feel free to reach out to us if you would like to learn more about how CareCredit works.
Wisdom Tooth Extractions FAQs
What’s the Best Age to Get Wisdom Teeth Removed?
There is no specific age that is best for removing your wisdom teeth, however most dentists recommend having them extracted in young adulthood. While they still can be removed later in life, the recovery from the procedure is easier when you are younger. This is because as you age, the roots of your wisdom teeth grow longer and become more embedded in your jaw, making the procedure more complicated for older patients.
Another benefit of having them removed at a younger age is that you can easily schedule your procedure and recovery around a school break or long weekend. If your Cove Choice Dental team recommends extraction, it is best to do it sooner rather than later to lower your risk of decay, cysts, impaction, or damage to neighboring teeth.
When Can I Use a Straw After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
You may have heard that you shouldn’t drink from a straw after wisdom tooth extraction surgery. This is because the suction force from the straw can dislodge the blood clot forming in the extraction site and cause a painful condition known as dry socket.
As for when you can use a straw again, your Cove Choice dentist will let you know when it is safe. This will depend on several factors, including your rate of healing and medical history, though the general rule of thumb is about two to three days.
Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
It seems strange to grow wisdom teeth only to have them extracted, but unfortunately, they often do more harm than good in the mouths of modern man. But it wasn’t always this way. In fact, they used to serve quite a useful purpose for our early human ancestors. You see, primitive diets consisted of raw foods including meats, berries, roots, nuts, and leaves. Not only was their diet raw, but they also had no way to cut it, so the teeth did all the work. Naturally, as these early humans aged, their teeth became worn down. By theie teen years when the wisdom teeth begin to emerge, they were needed to replace the second set of molars. Because their jaws were much larger, there was plenty of room for third molars, so they didn’t cause the problems they cause in your mouth today.
Nowadays we soften almost every food we eat either by cooking, baking, cutting, or otherwise preparing it, so wisdom teeth are unnecessary, and only end up causing problems with our comparatively smaller jaws.
Do Wisdom Teeth Stitches Dissolve?
Unlike simple tooth extractions, wisdom tooth extractions usually require stiches to help stabilize the tissue where incisions were made. In most cases, your Cove Choice dentist will use dissolving stitches, which are designed to go away on their own. They should typically dissolve between a few weeks and up to a month, however this will vary depending on the severity of the extraction as well as the type, material, and size of the stitch your dentist uses.
Sometimes your dentist may need to place stitches that don’t dissolve on their own. If this is the case, your Cove Choice dentist will let you know when to return to have the stitches removed, however this is typically within seven to ten days after the extraction procedure.