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Dr. Karen Frazer Rea, DDs
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I love the personal service that I receive at Dr. Rea’s office

- Nikki D.

Longview area residents ask, "When might I need to visit a dental surgeon for an extraction?"

Finding out that you have a tooth requiring extraction is never the news you want to hear. Add to that the fact that it is impacted and it may require surgical extraction, and many people are left feeling alarmed. Fortunately, Longview Smiles patients can take comfort in the fact that their surgical extraction is being performed in a familiar environment by an experienced staff.

What are impacted teeth?

An impacted tooth is one that is unable to erupt through the gum fully. There are two times in your life when teeth begin to emerge. The first is during infancy and the second is when the baby teeth fall out to make room for permanent teeth. When a tooth fails to erupt, or only comes up partially through the gum, it is considered impacted. Any tooth can become impacted, but the most common is the third set of molars, commonly known as wisdom teeth.

Why do teeth become impacted?

Teeth can become impacted for several different reasons. One of the most common is simply there is no room for the teeth. Teeth can also become twisted or begin to emerge at an angle which can result in an impacted tooth.

Impacted teeth are common and often painless, but should be addressed to prevent misalignment further down the road. In addition, partially erupted teeth can become a haven for trapped food and plaque, leading to inflammation and bad breath.

Symptoms of impacted tooth include:

  • Redness or swelling of the gums
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • A visible gap where a tooth would emerge
  • Bad breath
To check for impacted teeth, Dr. Rea will examine the gum tissue around the area where the tooth or teeth have yet to emerge. X-rays are then done to confirm the existence of teeth that have not emerged.

Surgical extraction of the impacted teeth

For those who require oral surgery for extraction of the impacted teeth, the procedure is simple and can be done in our office with the aid of local anesthesia. Other forms of sedation are available if needed. If you or your child may require oral surgery for extraction of impacted teeth, call Rea Dental today.
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