Root canal treatment- Wisdom teeth

A wise man once said- “ouch what is the point of these extra teeth in my head!” or something along those lines. Third molars are a challenge to popular wisdom and the running theory as to why they are there at all is as a replacement for lost teeth, which can occur over time.

Almost like a double adult tooth, third molars are teeth that you receive as your body has made the assumption that, throughout the wearing tear of life, you will have probably lost a couple of molars and there will be plenty of room for them to move into the vacant space.

Modernity along with improving life spans and general health, modernity has been very good, allowing people to keep their teeth throughout their adult lives. Resulting in a mouth with little room for the extra teeth and occasionally requiring endodontic wisdom teeth Harley Street intervention.

The extraction exception

There is a bit of a bias among dentists to do their best to save teeth. In relation to treatment for underlying abscesses the extraction option has always been there, but root canals are favoured. They result in a root treated tooth which should last as long as any other if well cared for, as well as resolving the underlying abscess in the fast majority of cases.

Third molars are usually the exception to this rule. They can have an exceptionally complicated root system; molars usually have two and front teeth, one, but third molars range between 2 and 6, depending on ethnicity. Their location at the rear of the mouth makes cleaning and widening each of these roots challenging, not to mention that these roots are usually highly covered and somewhat impacted in very limited space. In short, any wisdom teeth Harley Street procedure is highly likely to be challenging.

Going the distance

We go the extra distance and will carry out wisdom teeth Harley Street treatments.

But root canals usually follow a certain process, with the degree of variation; this variation occurs when it comes to third molars. And, as is the way for such an extreme treatment, it always has to start with a full set of X-rays and an extensive exploration of the problem to see how we could go about cleaning the extensive root system.

Most root canals are performed over 2 sessions; this is simply due to the length of the procedure, although in such complicated cases this can be extended up to three. In between each of these sessions, an antiseptic solution will be placed inside the tooth and a temporary cap on the access hole. These cleaning solutions will slowly percolate the dentin of the tooth, aiding in the cleaning process and reducing the chances of abscess recurrence.

We do accept referrals from other dentists if your provider has stated that the treatment is too complicated for the clinic.  If you think you could benefit from our expertise, please feel free to get in contact with the clinic. We are currently accepting new patients at this time and would be happy to hear from you.

With maturity come wisdom teeth!

Our normal quota of teeth is thirty-two and the last of those to arrive are usually the molars or wisdom teeth Harley Street. They invariably arrive anywhere between seventeen and twenty- one years of age and there are usually four of them. They aid the chewing process and will normally come through your gum naturally, sometimes, with mild discomfort. They are referred to as wisdom teeth Harley Street because of their late arrival and have nothing to do with how intelligent you are!

Molars can cause problems

The biggest problem with rear molars is that they can become trapped under your gums and we refer to that as being impacted. If your new molars have not come through in the correct position that will make flossing difficult and this can cause food to become trapped, allowing bacteria to grow in cavities that may have occurred.  In some cases rear molars only get partially through the gum also causing infection from bacteria. Sometimes the new molars may cause crowding which can damage your adjacent teeth. The roots of nearby teeth can be damaged by a cyst that the new molars have caused and this can affect the bone loosening other teeth nearby.

Highlighting the importance of routine dental care

Preventive dentistry is extremely important to identify problems before they occur especially at this crucial age of seventeen and older. We encourage parents to start bringing their children to the surgery at an early age so that we can identify any problems that may be developing. Rear molar development can be monitored if you attend your regular six-monthly dental visits. This can avoid complex rear molar problems from developing. If you have neglected your regular dental visits we have a team that can help, but it makes sense to stick to your dental regime to avoid serious problems.

A team of experienced clinicians ready to help

Our clinic has a highly experienced dental team who can help to sort out problems with your wisdom teeth Harley Street. Each patient is unique and you will react differently to a similar problem experienced by another patient. Before we prescribe any treatment for wisdom teeth we will conduct a thorough examination of your mouth and take numerous X-rays and in some cases a scan, so that we can identify exactly what needs to be done. We will always try to save a tooth, but in some cases it is not possible and it could be necessary to remove a wisdom tooth if it is causing severe pain and infection.

A practice proud of its service

Our practice is a modern, well-equipped dental surgery with many decades of experience treating patients in this area. We are now treating second and third generations of patients which is testament to the quality of service which we offer. From treating impacted wisdom teeth to teeth whitening we have the skills and the equipment to be able to handle any dental problem that you may be experiencing. In response to our patients’ requests we also offer a wide variety of facial aesthetic treatments in our sterile treatment rooms.

Wisdom teeth in Harley Street are a common problem

Many people need to have certain teeth removed throughout their life through no fault of their own, and we have specific training and experience when it comes to the most common example of this, which is wisdom teeth Harley Street.

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Otherwise known as the third molars, wisdom teeth Harley Street are the last teeth to erupt and are usually making an appearance when a person is about 17 years or older. Because most people’s mouths are not big enough to accommodate these teeth, they are prone to become impacted and maxillofacial surgery is generally needed in order to have them removed.

What is maxillofacial surgery?

This is a term that is used for surgical dental procedures that affect the mouth, jaw, face and neck. The role varies, although the most common reason for such a surgery is due to these third molars. A dental practice that has the capabilities to perform such surgical matters means that many people are referred to these professionals who have the tools, equipment and experience to competently perform these sometimes complicated procedures and restore your health again. As wisdom teeth Harley Street can be quite troublesome and cause not only a lot of pain, but bring your wellbeing below par as well.

Why is this?

Many dentists wait until it is necessary to remove these teeth, once they become impacted and partially erupting or once pain becomes problematic to the individual. Often, impacted teeth become infected with food debris getting stuck in the area, sometimes cysts develop underneath the gum as the tooth develops over the years and this can damage surrounding teeth and the jawbone as well.

The removal procedure

This varies for everyone depending on the position of the third molar, the underlying complications of cysts, infection and so forth and the general removal of the tooth itself, which can be difficult. Roots can sometimes hook around, making it more difficult to extract. Surgery does need to be performed in order to remove the tooth.

You will undergo a local anaesthetic for this and depending on your wishes, you can also have sedation throughout the procedure as well, to alleviate any feeling of distress that you could have throughout the surgery.

After surgery, swelling and some pain is expected and we offer a range of solutions to help you through this time. After 2 weeks, this will subside and you will be brought back into the dental practice so that we can check up on your healing. By applying cold packs, eating cold, liquid-like products and avoiding smoking, you can help to ease the swelling and pain and speed up your recovery. Make sure you keep well rested and take pain medication when required and according to direction.

A lot of people talk about the removal of these teeth and a lot of horror stories are heard. Remember to keep an open mind regarding your experience so as to not let other people’s experiences haunt you as you embark on your own. Everyone is different and when you are in competent hands, you can be assured of a quick recovery.

Do you wish you knew more about your wisdom teeth?

Unlike the rest of your adult teeth, these molars will not come through until you are around twenty years old. It is important that you visit your dental practitioner so they can check on the condition of your mouth, and at Harley Street Dental Clinic we can provide professional treatment and guidance when it comes to wisdom teeth in Harley Street.

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What are they?

When you are finding out more about wisdom teeth in Harley Street it is a good idea to start at the beginning and find out what they are. They are similar to the molars that you already have in the back of your mouth, but they will not necessarily come through for everybody. Some people will go their whole lives without having the teeth protrude above the gumline, whilst others will have their teeth grow without a problem. Sometimes the teeth will need to be removed if they grow through at an odd angle or disrupt your other teeth, but this is something that your dental practitioner can monitor through X-rays and regular check-ups.

When to seek advice about having them removed

If you are having problems with your wisdom teeth in Harley Street then it is recommended you make a dental appointment as soon as possible, so that one of our practitioners can assess your mouth. If you are experiencing any pain or your gums have become swollen it may be possible your tooth could have become infected, and it is important to get treatment for this as soon as possible to prevent further damage from being done to your teeth. Where your tooth has pushed through the gum it is more susceptible to infection, and infection can easily spread to your other teeth.

If your tooth is coming through at an angle then it may not have enough room to grow properly or it may be putting unnecessary pressure on your other teeth, causing them to move and become crooked. This can cause additional problems and discomfort, so your dental practitioner may advise that you have your tooth removed to recreate room for your other teeth.

Removing a tooth depends on what condition it is in. Your tooth may have worked its way all the way out but needs to be removed due to infection or being at an angle, or it may only be protruding slightly from your gum, in which case a slightly different extraction procedure will be used.

After you have had a tooth removed you must ensure you take proper care of your mouth. Your dental practitioner will advise you on how to do so after your treatment, but generally you should not brush your teeth for twenty-four hours and you should gargle with warm salt water frequently throughout the day for a few weeks after tooth removal. You may experience some swelling and redness, but this should go down after a few days and should not cause you any additional discomfort. A little bleeding is normal after your tooth has first been removed, but if you experience continuous bleeding it is recommended that you return to our practice so one of our dental practitioners can make sure that everything in your mouth is healthy.

Impacted wisdom teeth?

Our teeth come through in 3 stages. The first when we are just babies of a few months old. These teeth are then gradually replaced between the ages of about 7-12 years old. But this is not the only stage. Round about the age of 17 to 25, you can expect another set of 4 teeth to show up, at the very back of your mouth.

Wisdom Teeth in Harley StreetThese are your wisdom teeth and they are so-called because they come through when you are older and, hopefully, a bit wiser. Mother Nature put them there to give you extra chewing power, back in the days when we needed to chew a lot of raw food to get our nutrition.

Now though, it’s common for these wisdom teeth to not come through, or to get stuck and become what we call impacted. This means they have jammed themselves up against the tooth in front.

If your wisdom never start to come through, you can probably just ignore them, buried beneath your gums doing no one any harm. But if they are impacted, they can start to cause some serious problems and you may need to have them extracted.

Problems caused by wisdom teeth

If your teeth are coming through at an angle against other teeth, you can develop cysts around the roots of the teeth. These can damage the nerves and bone of your jaw, as well as the tooth in front of the wisdom tooth.

Extraction

Generally speaking, at Harley Street Dental Clinic in Harley Street, we perform tooth removal using a local anaesthetic to numb the pain. If you are anxious about the procedure, we can give you oral or intravenous sedation.

Afterwards, you will have a hole in your jaw where the tooth used to be. It will have a soft clot of blood on it. The mouth is too wet for a proper scab to form. You will need to be careful not to remove this clot with food or tooth brushing, for a few days while the jawbone heals underneath it. You can also take over-the-counter painkillers for the first little while after surgery. It will take a few weeks for your jaw to heal completely.

Your last teeth

If you have been getting pain at the back of your teeth and you are in your late teens or older, then it could be your wisdom teeth trying to come through.

Your wisdom teeth are the last teeth to arrive in your mouth. They are the third and last set of molars and generally don’t show up until you are around 20 and know a bit about life. That’s why we call them wisdom teeth in Harley Street.

Wisdom Teeth in Harley StreetThere can be quite a few things that can go wrong when your wisdom teeth come through and this can require intervention from your dentist at Harley Street Dental Clinic. Let’s take a look at a few of them:

Misalignment

If your teeth come through wonky in some way, we may have to remove them. They may even try to come through into the roots of the adjacent tooth.

Impaction

This is when the wisdom tooth either doesn’t come through at all, or, only partly erupts. There can still be a flap of gum over the tooth and food can get under it and it can become infected. The best thing to do is to remove the tooth.

Symptoms to watch out for

Symptoms associated with wisdom tooth problems include:

  • Bad breath and taste in the mouth
  • Pain and difficulty opening the mouth
  • Ear ache
  • Pain, swelling, swollen gums or ulcers
  • Swollen glands.

Even if your wisdom teeth make it through your gums fairly uneventfully, there’s no guarantee there won’t be problems later. This is because wisdom teeth are right at the back of the mouth and they can be difficult to clean.

Throughout your life, you will need to keep an eye out for:

  • Infection of the gum around the tooth, known as pericoronitis. This can be severe, causing pain and swelling and we often have to remove the tooth;
  • Tooth decay, either in the wisdom tooth or the one in front. This may even lead to an abscess if the decay gets into the nerve;
  • Cysts around the tooth. All teeth are in a sack, and this can expand like a balloon to create a cyst. This isn’t very common, fortunately.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to appear in our mouths, often not coming through until the late teenage years. Because of this, they can often fail to erupt properly, causing or potentially causing pain, discomfort and oral health problems. For that reason, wisdom tooth extraction is one of the most common oral surgery procedures.

wisdom tooth extractionNobody likes the idea of tooth extraction. However, in some cases it becomes necessary and if you need a wisdom tooth removed you can rest assured that at Harley Street Dental Clinic you will receive expert care from experienced oral surgeons.

But why do wisdom teeth need to be removed? Because they erupt late, wisdom teeth have a tendency to become impacted. They may prove hard to clean, increasing the chances of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Because they develop internally, cysts may form around wisdom teeth, potentially damaging the jawbone and surrounding teeth.

At Harley Street Dental Clinic we have a fully-equipped theatre for tooth extractions and other maxillofacial surgical procedures, such as treating bone fractures, placing dental implants and carrying out certain orthodontic procedures. Wisdom tooth removal may be carried out under local anaesthetic or sedation, depending on each patient’s wants and needs.

It’s important to prepare for wisdom tooth extraction, and to talk to us if you experience dental anxiety, so that we can plan your treatment accordingly. You will also need to prepare for careful post-surgical care, following the advice your surgeon gives you.

Pain or discomfort after surgery can usually be managed by over-the-counter painkillers, although if you find these don’t help do not take more than the stated dose – instead, contact us so that we can help you. We recommend that you follow a liquid diet immediately after surgery, and use cold treats such as ice cream to help with gum swelling. Overconsumption may lead to sharp pains, however, so please take care.