At Orland Dental Studio, our promise is that we will care for you as if you were our family. For many of our teenage and young adult patients, that means carefully monitoring the development of their wisdom teeth. Also known as third molars, wisdom teeth are the final set of teeth to develop, typically erupting between the ages of 17 and 25. While some patients have enough room in their jaw for these teeth to emerge naturally and function without issue, the vast majority of people simply do not have the space required to accommodate them, which can lead to significant oral health complications if left unaddressed.
Reasons For A Wisdom Tooth Extraction
We believe that good dentistry involves clinical excellence and providing comfort during a stressful time in the life of a patient; you cannot have good dentistry without both. Because wisdom teeth often lack the necessary space to erupt properly, they frequently become “impacted” or trapped beneath the gums. This can cause them to grow sideways, severely crowd and shift your existing teeth, or create deep pockets where decay and painful infections thrive.
To provide you with the highest level of surgical care without the stress of being referred to an unfamiliar clinic, we proudly partner with Dr. Christopher Nguyen, our highly skilled traveling general dentist. With his unique background in nanomedicine engineering and advanced training in oral surgery, Dr. Nguyen brings exceptional surgical precision directly to our Orland Park, IL office. His compassionate approach ensures you receive expert, highly predictable care in the beautiful, relaxing environment you already know and trust.
Signs You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Extracted
We wish more patients understood that proactive monitoring is the best way to prevent the painful emergencies associated with impacted wisdom teeth. During your routine visits, we utilize our advanced digital wellness scans to track the precise position of these molars beneath the gumline long before they cause trouble. However, if you are experiencing symptoms, our practice is highly accommodating for prompt, emergency care. Common signs that your wisdom teeth need to be extracted include:
- Throbbing pain or intense pressure in the back of your jaw
- Swollen, tender, or bleeding gums behind your second molars
- Difficulty or stiffness when opening your mouth fully
- A persistent bad taste or bad breath caused by trapped bacteria
- Unexplained sinus pain, pressure, or congestion
Post-Operative Care & Recovery
A core value that guides how we treat patients day-to-day is respecting and valuing everyone’s opinion and listening to what they have to say. We know that the thought of having wisdom teeth removed can cause anxiety. From the moment you sit back to enjoy our calming nature views, we prioritize your absolute comfort. Patients continually compliment how famously painless our anesthesia is, and Dr. Nguyen utilizes exceptionally gentle techniques to ensure a smooth, efficient procedure.
After your extraction, our friendly team will sit down with you to clearly explain your personalized recovery plan. To ensure you heal quickly and comfortably at home, we typically recommend:
- Resting for the first 48 hours and keeping your head elevated.
- Applying an ice pack to the outside of your cheek to minimize any natural swelling.
- Sticking to a soft-food diet (like yogurt, smoothies, and mashed potatoes) for a few days.
- Strictly avoiding the use of straws, as the suction can dislodge the healing blood clot and cause a painful dry socket.
We have hundreds of happy patients who have trusted us with their smiles, and our entire team is here to support you through every stage of your recovery, ensuring your smile remains healthy and perfectly aligned for life.