Dental Services

Preventive Dentistry	Root Canal Therapy
Gum Treatments	Oral Surgery
Cosmetic Dentistry	Dental Implants
Restorative Dentistry	Sedation Dentistry
Prosthetic Dentistry	LASER Dentistry

Wise Decision

Wisdom Teeth
Somewhere between the ages of 15 to 25 years, most people's third molars begin to erupt through the gum line at the very back of their mouths. However, the modern jaw shape often can't accommodate wisdom teeth, leading to either of two unhealthy conditions: crowding of existing permanent teeth, or impaction—the incoming molars get stuck in place. Since few people’s jaws can accommodate these large third molars, Dr. Greg and Dr. Brent Killian typically examine our 11 and 12-year-old patients to predict the upcoming developmental positioning of the wisdom teeth, recommending extraction once development has progressed to where removal is indicated.

That Smarts!
While extraction may not sound like a lot of fun, it's far better than the typical alternatives. Crowded teeth can misalign your bite, cause jaw pain, and lead to gum disease, causing dental problems for the rest of your life. Partially-erupted wisdom teeth allow bacteria and germs to multiply, leading to infection or cyst formation; tumors may even grow around a trapped wisdom tooth. Impacted or partially-erupted wisdom teeth may force entry, pushing up in whichever direction they find the most give: sideways, vertically, backward, forward. They can become stuck while still fully encased in the jawbone (called a bony impaction), or prior to erupting through the gums (called a soft tissue impaction). Such impaction can cause pain, swelling, and infection. Dr. Greg and Dr. Brent Killian will inform you of the condition of your wisdom teeth at your first visit and subsequent recall appointments.

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