Wisdom Tooth Extraction – Taylor, TX
Stop Wisdom Tooth Pain & Preserve Your Oral Health
Wisdom teeth are an unfortunate source of discomfort and dental health concerns for most people between the ages of 16 and 24. If you’re experiencing the variety of signs that come with impaction or overcrowding caused by third molars, our team at Taylor Choice Dental can extract them seamlessly and comfortably. Give our office a call today to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose Taylor Choice Dental for Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
- Advanced Diagnostic Imaging
- IV Dental Sedation Offered
- Team of 4 Experienced Dentists
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are the very last teeth to erupt through the gumline during the late-teens, early-20s. While most people have all four of their wisdom teeth, others may only have one, two, or three of them, and in rare cases, none! Some of the most common signs that the wisdom teeth are starting to grow in the mouth include:
- Gum irritation, swelling, redness, and pain.
- Dull, aching pain towards the back of the jaw.
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth.
- Pain around the eyes and ears.
Why Do Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed?
Just because you have wisdom teeth in Taylor doesn’t mean that you need to have them extracted. There are certain situations in which our dentists may recommend this procedure, and it’s typically in the following cases:
- The wisdom teeth are impacted below the gumline.
- The wisdom teeth are causing pain.
- There’s a risk of cysts forming around the impacted wisdom teeth. If they burst, it could result in jaw damage.
- The wisdom teeth are putting you at a higher risk of developing gum or tooth infections.
- There isn’t enough room in the mouth for the wisdom teeth to grow in without causing misalignment, bite problems, or other orthodontic concerns.
What to Expect from Your Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Before we begin your wisdom tooth extraction in Taylor, our trained dentists will administer the appropriate method of dental sedation to make sure you remain comfortable throughout. For surgical extractions (typically necessary for impacted wisdom teeth), this will likely be IV sedation, and for simple extractions, we may administer oral conscious or nitrous oxide sedation.
If your wisdom teeth are visible above the gumline, we will elevate them out of their sockets and gently wiggle them free of any connective tissues. For teeth that are impacted below the gumline, we’ll need to create a window that allows us to separate the tooth into smaller pieces so they’re easy to remove.
Recovering from Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Fortunately for our patients, our team is able to complete the entire wisdom tooth extraction from the comfort of our office. That means that you won’t have to worry about travelling to a specialist that you’re unfamiliar with.
Following your treatment, our team will provide your caretaker with detailed aftercare instructions so you can heal without complication. We typically recommend the following:
- Eat a soft diet for several days following your procedure.
- Call us if you experience any out-of-the-ordinary symptoms or worsening pain.
- Place an ice pack on your cheek to help bring down any swelling.
- Take prescription or over-the-counter pain medications as advised.
- Don’t drink from a straw or spit.
- Rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water regularly.
- Brush and floss as you normally would, being sure to be extra gentle and avoid the extraction site.
Understanding the Cost of Wisdom Tooth Extractions
It’s understandable to be a little bit nervous before your wisdom teeth are taken out, particularly if you’ve never had a tooth extraction before. The last thing we’d want to do is to contribute to that with the cost of the treatment.
For that reason, we do everything we can to make paying for our services as easy as it can possibly be. We’ll be sure to give you a complete estimate for what your wisdom tooth extraction is going to cost when we meet you in person, but until then, here’s what you should know about the finances associated with removing your final molars.
Factors That Can Impact the Cost of Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Part of the reason it’s hard to say what your wisdom tooth extraction is going to cost without knowing more about your circumstances is that there are several factors that can influence their price in one way or another. For one, not everyone is born with all four wisdom teeth—if you need to remove fewer of them, that means that the price of your overall treatment is likely to fall.
Then there’s the fact that some wisdom tooth extractions are more complicated than others. These molars are often impacted, meaning that they haven’t emerged fully from the jaw. Soft tissue impactions occur when a tooth has emerged partially but not completely, while bony impactions mean that it’s lodged completely in the jaw.
The latter is harder to deal with and will therefore be more expensive to remove. In the most complicated cases, we may even need to refer you to an external specialist who will have their own rates for surgery.
It's also a good idea to consider the kind of anesthesia or sedation that you’re interested in. Most people will make use of them for complex procedures like wisdom tooth removal, so it’s a good idea to think about how the option you pick will factor into your budget.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Wisdom Tooth Extractions?
Dental insurance doesn’t always cover dental surgery, but in many cases, wisdom tooth extraction is an exception. In these situations, your insurance company may pay as much as 50% of the price of your procedure, provided that you’ve already met your deductible.
We know that this can be confusing, so we’ll be happy to help you determine what your dental insurance is going to cover.
Other Options for Making Wisdom Tooth Extractions Affordable
If you don’t have insurance, or if it isn’t going to cover your wisdom tooth extraction for some reason, you may need to pursue another option for making your procedure affordable.
We frequently work with CareCredit, which can allow you to split up the cost of the services that you receive from us across several monthly payments. Patients who qualify can receive financing terms with little to no interest. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can make your wisdom tooth extraction fit your budget, reach out to us for a consultation today!
Wisdom Tooth Extractions FAQs
What’s the Best Age to Have Wisdom Teeth Removed?
There isn’t one universal age requirement for having your wisdom teeth removed. However, the sooner you have your wisdom teeth taken out, the better for several reasons. When wisdom teeth are still developing, they have shallower roots and aren’t firmly embedded in the jawbone. At this point, they are easier to extract, and recovery is usually minimal. As you wait to remove them, the roots grow deeper and become more integrated with the bone, making the surgery more complicated and harder to bounce back from. If we recommend wisdom tooth extraction in Taylor, you’ll be better off taking care of the procedure as early as possible.
How Long Does Wisdom Tooth Extraction Take?
The time it takes to remove wisdom teeth depends on several factors, including whether they have erupted or not, whether they’re impacted or not, and more. However, each tooth should take around 20 minutes to extract; overall, the appointment may require about 90 total minutes to complete. Because you will likely be receiving sedation, time should fly by without any concerns, but we’ll let you and whoever is driving you know how much time to expect beforehand.
How Can I Sleep after Wisdom Tooth Removal?
Rest following any surgical procedure is critical to recovery, but sleep can become difficult in the few days afterward. When you lie down, make sure your head is above your heart, which means you might need additional pillows to keep your head elevated. Also, never take more than the recommended amount of pain reliever or take it with other medications without discussing it with our team. If you have taken the directed dose and are still experiencing discomfort, put a cold compress on the outside of your face for 20 minutes, which should help you get to sleep.
Is Wisdom Tooth Extraction Painful?
Before we do anything, we’ll numb your mouth with a local anesthetic. This alone should eliminate discomfort during the procedure. On top of the anesthetic, we can also administer a dental sedative, like nitrous oxide, which further prevents your body from registering pain and calms worries on your mind. As a result, the extraction should not involve pain while you’re in the chair.
That said, when the anesthetic wears off, you’ll likely need to take pain reliever as you recover from soreness or general discomfort. As you follow our instructions, however, you should feel back to normal in about a week.