Yaksu Station Dental Clinic: Impacted Wisdom Tooth Extraction (Root Canal Treatment, Crown Treatment)

Hello.

I'm Dr. Kim Tae-young, director of Bareunyoung Dental Clinic at Yaksu Station.

Today, we're going to learn about wisdom tooth extraction.

Generally, when extracting wisdom teeth, the upper jawbone is softer than the lower jawbone, and most wisdom teeth in the upper jaw erupt vertically, making them relatively easy to extract.

However, wisdom teeth in the lower jaw come in various types.

They vary in eruption angle, depth, and root curvature.

That's why patients often say that extracting lower wisdom teeth was scary and difficult.

The more horizontally a wisdom tooth lies, the more impacted it is, and depending on the root shape, the difficulty of wisdom tooth extraction usually increases.

In the case of impacted wisdom tooth extraction, it sometimes requires an incision of the gums or, occasionally, partial removal of the alveolar bone around the tooth.

This can cause pain and swelling after extraction. Although the same person always performs the same procedure, the symptoms vary greatly from patient to patient, so I try to make the smallest possible incision or alveolar bone removal to reduce pain.

My lower tooth broke. I think it's because of my wisdom tooth.

A patient visited us, wondering if their back right lower tooth, which seemed to be decayed and broken, was due to their wisdom tooth.

Due to the impacted wisdom tooth in the lower right jaw, the adjacent tooth had significant decay.

When an impacted wisdom tooth is partially erupted through the gums, it's not easy to manage.

Food gets stuck between it and the adjacent tooth, making it difficult to remove, and decay develops.

First, impacted wisdom tooth extraction was necessary, and since the decay in the adjacent tooth had progressed below the gum line and reached the nerve, root canal treatment was performed concurrently.

To improve visibility, the wisdom tooth extraction was performed in the middle of the root canal treatment.

The tooth root is slightly curved.

The final day of root canal treatment takes a long time because we pay extra attention to detail.

The root tip length is confirmed with an X-ray before completion.

The wisdom tooth was extracted with a slight gum incision and alveolar bone removal before the completion of the root canal treatment.

Decay caused by impacted wisdom teeth is prone to occurring deep below the gum line.

The margin of the prosthetic restoration inevitably had to be in a very deep position, making the preparation process challenging, but

with the patient's cooperation, we were able to achieve satisfactory results for the wisdom tooth extraction, root canal treatment, and prosthetic treatment!^^

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the difficulty of extracting upper and lower wisdom teeth different?

Yes, it is. Upper wisdom teeth are often easier to extract because the bone quality is softer and they frequently erupt vertically. In contrast, lower wisdom teeth often have a more difficult extraction due to variations in eruption direction, depth, and root shape.

Can I experience pain or swelling after impacted wisdom tooth extraction?

Yes, you can. Impacted wisdom tooth extraction may require gum incision or alveolar bone removal, which can cause pain or swelling after the procedure. We strive to minimize pain through the smallest possible incision.

Can a wisdom tooth cause decay in an adjacent tooth?

Yes, it's possible. When an impacted wisdom tooth is partially erupted, food can easily get trapped between it and the adjacent tooth, making removal difficult and leading to decay. If the decay is severe, root canal treatment may be necessary.

Can wisdom tooth extraction and root canal treatment be performed simultaneously?

Yes, it's possible. If decay in an adjacent tooth has progressed deeply due to a wisdom tooth and has reached the nerve, root canal treatment and wisdom tooth extraction can be performed together. Extraction may sometimes be done in the middle of root canal treatment to improve visibility.

I've heard that the root shape is important during wisdom tooth extraction. Why is that?

Yes, it's important. The more curved or complex the wisdom tooth root shape, the higher the difficulty of extraction can be. Depending on the root shape, the extraction process may be more delicate and time-consuming.