Why Do I Need Wisdom Teeth Removal?

For most individuals, wisdom teeth extraction is an inevitable part of growing older. In addition to causing discomfort, untreated wisdom teeth can lead to a number of consequences for your oral health. Consider the following:

Wisdom teeth are the last to develop. The third molars typically don’t begin developing until a patient is in their mid to late teens. By the time these teeth are ready to emerge, many patients have already undergone dental treatments with orthodontics to permanently improve the alignment of their smiles. As a result, there is often not enough room in the arch to support another molar. Lack of space can cause wisdom teeth to become impacted and begin pushing against neighboring teeth, thereby threatening the alignment.

Partial emergence can make it difficult to maintain an effective oral hygiene routine. In some scenarios, wisdom teeth may be able to partially break through the gums. This partial emergence can cause gum tissue to grow over the tooth, trapping food and debris between the tooth and gums. Patients experiencing partial emergence have a more difficult time thoroughly cleaning their teeth and may be at a higher risk of developing gum disease and cavities.

Complete emergence can also compromise a patient’s oral health. While patients may not have to worry about caring for trapped teeth with complete emergence, third molars may develop too far back or cause overcrowding. This also makes it difficult for patients to maintain an effective oral hygiene routine, increasing the likelihood of developing periodontitis and tooth decay.

Impactions can become infected. Wisdom teeth impaction occurs when, due to lack of space in an arch, the molar is unable to break through the gum. The tooth may then become stuck in the jaw. In severe cases, the area around the wisdom tooth may form a cyst within the jaw. If left untreated, the cyst can compromise the health of the bone as well as damage neighboring teeth and nerves.

Prompt wisdom tooth removal is often the best solution for protecting the health and function of a patient’s smile. At Elite Dental of Fountain Valley, our team offers specialized wisdom teeth extraction for impacted teeth. For more information about simple or complex wisdom teeth extraction, contact our Fountain Valley dentist today. 

The Importance of Kid’s Dentistry

Your oral health routine changes when your first tooth emerges. From that point forward, much of your oral health is dictated by the hygiene habits you develop as a child. Although patients do lose their baby teeth, the health of the subsequent permanent teeth is heavily influenced by the condition of your smile as your teeth first emerge. Bringing your child in for routine dental visits can instill a feasible and effective at-home hygiene routine to ensure lifelong oral health.

In-Office Pediatric Dental Care

Routine dental visits as a child are important for a number of reasons. These initial appointments allow dentists to take an in-depth look at your child’s smile, ensuring all parts are developing correctly. The dentist is also able to check your child’s teeth for signs of dental caries, which can be severely damaging for small smiles.

Regular dental visits are also an important for identifying whether your child may need more long-term dental care. For example, patients typically begin exhibiting signs they may need orthodontics around the age of 7. When the need for this more extensive care is identified early, dentists can develop treatment plans to correct misalignment over time and recommend more effective preparatory procedures.

These visits also provide the opportunity for our Fountain Valley dentist to apply protective sealants and fluoride to your child’s teeth. These tools help to discourage the development of cavities, ensuring continued oral health between your child’s biannual visits.

At-Home Oral Hygiene for Children

Often, maintaining an effective oral hygiene regimen can be difficult for children. Children are as dexterous as adults and may not be able to effectively floss their teeth, leaving food debris behind to collect bacteria and cause cavities to develop. During routine visits to our dental office, Dr. Azi Ashtiany provides patients and their parents with tips on encouraging consistent brushing and flossing at home. Some of these helpful tips include:

• Demonstrating the right brushing technique for your child by brushing your teeth with them. 
• Get them a fun toothbrush and toothpaste to help get them excited about brushing their teeth.
• Set up a rewards system for brushing and flossing consistently.

At Elite Dental, our mission is to help our patients achieve healthy smiles at all ages. By offering pediatric dentistry, our Fountain Valley dentist is able to help children become invested in their smiles and adopt important, lifelong oral hygiene skills. For more information about the importance of early dental care, contact our Fountain Valley dental office today.