Wisdom Teeth Removal Hammond, LA

If you are a teenager or young adult and have not yet had your wisdom teeth removed, our practice recommends having a dental evaluation before your wisdom teeth begin causing pain or other symptoms. If you have already reached the point where your wisdom teeth cause symptoms, we recommend scheduling a consultation with an oral surgeon.

The OMS Center of South Louisiana provides wisdom teeth removal for patients throughout Hammond, LA. Our practice is known for emphasizing patient comfort and safety and for always offering plenty of education about treatment options.

What are Wisdom Teeth?

Most people develop 32 permanent teeth within their lifetime. The last four to develop are the wisdom teeth, or third molars. Most of the time, the wisdom teeth develop at some point between ages 17 and 21.

A majority of people simply do not have jaws large enough to accommodate these final molars, which means that wisdom teeth removal is an extremely common procedure. By having the wisdom teeth removed, you can proactively stop many of the common side effects that wisdom teeth can cause.

We usually recommend that patients in Hammond, LA have their wisdom teeth removed as early as possible. There are several reasons for this, including:

• As teeth develop, the roots lengthen while the jawbone becomes denser. This makes wisdom tooth extraction a much more difficult and complex undertaking.
• When patients wait until later in life to have their wisdom teeth extracted, it often results in greater pain following the procedure.
• Past age 30, wisdom teeth tend to cause more problems, and the risk of pain and other symptoms becomes much higher.

Why Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

The wisdom teeth require extraction for a number of reasons. When left untreated, they can cause:

• Discomfort and sensitivity around the impacted teeth
• Infection in and around the gums
• Damage to adjacent teeth
• Cysts around the jawbone

Wisdom teeth removal helps preserve the integrity of your smile. It also keeps you safe from symptoms such as crowding, damage to adjacent teeth, or wisdom teeth that erupt through the gums at odd angles.

How Wisdom Teeth Removal Works

The process of having your wisdom teeth removed begins with a consultation. During this relaxed and friendly appointment, Dr. Joshua S. Brandner will confirm that your wisdom teeth require extraction, walk you through the steps in the procedure, and answer any questions you have.

At your consultation, your oral surgeon will do all of the following:

• Conduct a physical examination of your teeth, gums, and jaw.
• Tell you more about what you can expect on the day of your surgery.
• Explain the different options for sedation and anesthesia.
• Furnish you with clear guidelines for aftercare and postoperative recovery.

At the OMS Center of South Louisiana, we perform all procedures in state-of-the-art facilities and offer our patients a full range of sedation options. These are just a couple of ways in which we make patient safety a foremost concern.

The specifics of the surgery can vary from one patient to the next, depending on factors such as the positioning of the wisdom teeth within the mouth. When the procedure is over, you will be sent home with directions about how to care for your wounds and how to minimize your risk of infection.

Additionally, you will be provided with prescription pain medications to minimize discomfort. Most patients do not need these painkillers and do just fine with ibuprofen. You can also anticipate a little bit of swelling, which will begin to subside within 48 hours or so. By that point, you will begin quickly progressing through your recovery. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your recovery, we welcome you to contact us directly.

You are in Good Hands with The OMS Center of South Louisiana

Wisdom teeth removal is both common and safe. We are happy to tell you more about what you can expect from this procedure. To schedule a consultation, contact our Hammond, LA office at any time at (985) 277-1030.