General Extractions
An extraction is the complete removal of a tooth. Extractions are sometimes necessary if a primary tooth is preventing the normal eruption of a permanent tooth, if a tooth has suffered extensive tooth decay or trauma that cannot be repaired, if a tooth has severe periodontal bone loss (gum disease), or if the tooth is impacted (usually the wisdom teeth). Depending on the complexity of the case, an extraction will be performed surgically or non-surgically. Profound anesthesia is always given to to ensure that our patient is comfortable throughout the procedure.
Wisdom Teeth
Your third molars are more commonly called "wisdom teeth." Usually appearing in the late teens or early twenties, third molars often lack the proper space in the jaw to erupt fully or even at all. This common condition is called impaction. When any tooth lacks the space to come through or simply develops in the wrong place of your jaw and becomes impacted, problems can arise. Primarily, damage to adjacent teeth, difficulty properly cleaning, and subsequent crowding occurs.
In certain cases, the wisdom tooth that cannot come through becomes inflamed under the gums and in the bone around the tooth.This can cause a cyst or an abscess if it becomes infected. If either of these situations goes untreated, serious damage to the underlying bone and surrounding teeth and tissues can result.
To potentially stave off this result, an extraction of one or all of the wisdom teeth may be recommended by Dr. McCormick. In certain cases, Dr. McCormick may refer to a local Oral Surgeon for removal of the offending teeth.