Because there is not enough room for an extra set of molars, wisdom teeth may only partially erupt through the gums. Some wisdom teeth remain fully trapped beneath gums. These teeth are considered to be impacted, and an impacted wisdom tooth must be surgically removed. If left untreated, impacted wisdom teeth can lead to infections, dental overcrowding, and cause discomfort.
It is rare for a wisdom tooth to develop without causing any issue. Your dentist will check for wisdom teeth during routine visits and refer you to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for treatment. Even if you are not in any discomfort, your wisdom teeth can still cause many health problems that require treatment. Untreated wisdom teeth can lead to:
These problems are avoidable by having wisdom teeth removed as soon as possible. If your wisdom teeth have already started causing problems or if you’d like an evaluation, contact Arizona Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons. Our oral surgeons in Tucson, AZ, have experience performing wisdom tooth removal at any stage of the growth process.
Most wisdom teeth begin developing during the late teens or early twenties. Dental professionals recommend having them removed before they fully develop. This is usually between the ages of 17 and 24. Early extraction when these teeth are not yet fully developed makes for a smoother surgical procedure and faster recovery.
During your consultation, we will take 3D scans of your teeth, outline the details of your treatment, and answer any questions. Most patients undergo IV sedation for this procedure, but we will outline all of your anesthesia and sedation options. We often combine this with a local anesthetic to ensure you do not feel any pain. Your surgeon will also give you pre-operative instructions to help you prepare for your procedure.
Once the local anesthesia and IV sedation are administered, your oral surgeon will make a small incision in the gum tissue. Your surgeon will remove the tooth whole or section it into smaller pieces, depending on its size. Once each tooth is removed, the surgical area will be sutured to promote faster healing. These sutures are usually dissolvable, so you won’t need to return to have them removed. You will rest in our office until your anesthesia wears off, then your driver will bring you home to recover. This person should monitor you for 24 hours.
Recovery is different for everyone, but patients are often back to their normal schedules within just a few days. The surgical sites will need to be kept clean for a couple of weeks until the empty tooth sockets heal fully. Do not smoke after surgery, as the suction could dislodge the blood clot forming within the sockets. This can cause a painful condition known as dry socket.
A soft food diet is required for the first few days. As you get more comfortable, you can begin incorporating harder foods back into your diet. Your surgeon will provide you with post-operative instructions to guide you throughout the recovery process.
The cost of having wisdom teeth removed varies for each patient. The total cost will depend on the number of wisdom teeth, dental insurance, anesthesia, and the overall complexity of the procedure. Our staff will provide you with the cost of your wisdom teeth removal during your first visit to our office.
Meet PatrickAugust 2018Patrick Reviews His Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure Watch Review
"I had a dentist appointment down in Douglas, Arizona, and the dentist noticed that — believe it or not — I had four wisdom teeth, so they referred me to AZOMS in Tucson. The staff at AZOMS — they were like family. They were really nice. Dr. Coles — he’s the man. He took his time to answer all my questions. When I woke up after the surgery, I didn’t feel any pain. Come see Dr. Coles — you won’t be disappointed."
Meet DanielleMarch 2017Danielle Reviews Her Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure Watch Review
"I came to Arizona Oral Surgeons because I had another friend who went here before, and he had a really good experience with it, so it made the process easier. I needed to get my wisdom teeth taken out, and so I had all four of them that needed to be removed. When I found out I needed to have them taken out, I was really nervous because I had never had any other type of surgery or anything like that before, so it was really scary for me at first. They were really, really welcoming when I came in, and they walked me through it and explained everything that was going to happen, and my mom was able to come back with me too, so it just all made it really simple. My procedure went really well. I don't really remember a whole lot after it, but when I was going in, I was really scared and they gave me a blanket, and they sat there with me and were very calm about it. My recovery was pretty good. Dr. Wood was really awesome because he called a few times and saw how I was doing. I would definitely recommend Arizona Oral Surgeons. It was a really good experience for me, and I don't think it could have gone any better."
Meet ShelbyMay 2016Shelby Reviews Her Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure Watch Review
"I had my braces on, and to get my braces off, I had to get my wisdom teeth removed just because they didn't want them to move my teeth around after I got my braces off. I thought it was going to be way worse than it was. I was really scared, and I thought it was going to take forever to recover, but it wasn't that bad. Dr. Wood is really, really cool. He made it way easier because he's so uplifting. The minute you walk in, everybody is so positive, and it makes it way easier to just — if you're nervous about it — everybody is so nice, and so it makes you just want to come in and get it over with. It's pretty quick — you're in and out pretty quick — so it makes it a lot easier. I would definitely recommend all my friends that live in either Corona, or Tucson, or Oro Valley, to definitely come to Arizona Oral Surgeons."
Meet JerryApril 2016Jerry Reviews His Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure Watch Review
"I had a problem with a wisdom tooth that I needed pulled, and it was a molar next to it that it was having problems with. So, I came to Dr. Wood just to check it out. First of all, I needed that wisdom tooth pulled out, so he pulled that out, and then we talked a little bit about the other tooth, and he said, "Well, let me take a look at it." So he took some extra film, and he goes, "No problem with that. We'll go ahead and reconstruct it." So he did that for me as well, which I was very grateful because I didn't want to lose that molar. Dr. Wood and his staff are very, very nice. They calm you down; they talk to you, they walk you through the procedure, and very gentle. And "Let me know if there's any pain; we'll go ahead and fix it." I would recommend Dr. Wood to anyone. Yeah, good people. All his staff especially. They do good work here."
Meet RebeccaApril 2016Rebecca Reviews Her Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure Watch Review
"I actually had a party and had family and friends there, and then after they left, I had picked up an almond and ate it, and it cracked my wisdom tooth. I came because I wanted someone that — I could have gone to my own dentist, and he's good for, say, just cleaning and the regular routine things, but there's some times in your life you really want somebody that specializes. I heard good things about Dr. Wood. Going to the dentist is not my favorite thing to do, but if you have to go, Dr. Wood is the best place, in my opinion, to go to. From the time I entered their office, greeted their friendly staff, they really made me feel comfortable and at home. I felt very safe in Dr. Wood's hands, and when I left, I'm glad it was over, but it really was a good experience, and then the follow-up was great too, so I highly recommend it."
