Wisdom Tooth Dentist in Santa Ana, CA

Wisdom teeth are the last molars to appear in the mouth; they usually start to come out (erupt) when a person is in their late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth are sometimes called third molars and are the last set of molars to grow in. They usually start coming into the mouth between the ages of 17 to 25, although some people may not grow them until they are much older; some people may never have any wisdom teeth come in. Wisdom teeth can be impacted, meaning that they do not have enough room to come through the gums and so their roots point sideways or upwards instead of downwards. This can cause problems with chewing food and lead to other dental issues, such as cavities or gum disease.

Dentists check for wisdom teeth by looking for the telltale signs and symptoms of erupting wisdom teeth, including:

– Redness or swelling in the gums at the back of the mouth, behind the last molars
– Jaw pain or tenderness
– Facial pain, which can be shooting, sharp, aching or throbbing, due to wisdom teeth putting pressure on nerves
– White flecks behind the last molars; this is the first visual sign that the wisdom teeth are erupting

If you are experiencing pain in the back of your mouth, it is worth having it checked out by a dentist. Wisdom teeth can lead to a variety of complications if left unchecked, such as crowding other teeth, infection, and severe pain.

An impacted wisdom tooth may:

– Grow at an angle toward the next tooth
– Grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth
– Grow perpendicularly to the other teeth (a 90º or right angle)
– Get trapped within the jawbone

Problems with impacted wisdom teeth include:

– Pain
– Trapped food/debris behind the wisdom tooth
– Infection or gum disease (periodontal disease)
– Tooth decay in partially erupted wisdom tooth
– Damage to nearby teeth or surrounding bone
– Development of cyst around the wisdom tooth
– Complications with orthodontic treatments to straighten teeth

The cost of removing wisdom teeth is different depending on a number of factors unique to each patient, including:

– The number of teeth being removed
– The size of the wisdom teeth
– The condition of the teeth
– The difficulty of the procedure
– Amount of anesthesia used
– If the teeth are erupted
– If the teeth are impacted
– Age of the patient
– Geographic location of the clinic

Simple extractions of erupted teeth are much less involved and therefore less expensive; the cost can range from $200 to $700 per tooth, with $300 being the average. Removing impacted teeth—wisdom teeth that are stuck within the gums or jawbone, often misaligned—costs between $250 and $1,100 apiece, with the average ranging from $350 to $550.

If you are looking for a qualified and trusted wisdom tooth dentist, come to Bay Dental Family Dentistry & Orthodontics! Call us today to book an appointment with our wisdom tooth dentist, or visit our clinic conveniently located at 3620 S. Bristol Street, Suite #307, Santa Ana, CA 92704. We look forward to serving you! We serve patients from Santa Ana CA, Anaheim CA, Garden Grove CA, Orange CA, Westminster CA, Irvine CA, Costa Mesa CA, Lakewood CA, and South Coast metro areas.