You May Not Have Been Able to Have Wisdom Teeth Removed Since COVID-19

Hopefully, Covid-19 is beginning to ease off, but as a result of it there have been many surgeries which have been postponed. Among these is wisdom teeth removal in San Francisco. Covid-19 has caused delays to wisdom teeth removalWisdom teeth are probably “easy to ignore”, especially for young people, but long-term they can cause substantial damage, so now is the time to book an appointment to have your wisdom teeth checked over.

Wisdom teeth are your third molars, and they are the last to erupt in the mouth. Generally, they don’t start to break through until you are in your mid-teens. This is why they are called wisdom teeth, because by that age one is supposed to have acquired a certain amount of wisdom. Some people have no problem with wisdom teeth, and they are just fine, but those people are few and far between. For most of us they can cause all sorts of issues.

They are one of those parts of the body that we don’t need any more, in a similar way to the appendix. Back in the days when we lived in caves, wisdom teeth were needed because we had to chew and bite through tough foods, but today that is no longer the case. The result of this is that our jaws have actually got smaller, and because of that our wisdom teeth have issues trying to erupt since there isn’t enough room for them.

However, that doesn’t stop them trying to find a way through. What happens is that, as they grow, they can twist and turn, pushing other teeth out of line. They can grow sideways, only partially emerge from the gum, and can even stay trapped below the gum and bone.

Unwanted Consequences to Wisdom Teeth that are Not Wise

This can lead to all sorts of unwanted consequences. They can leave a gap around the teeth where bacteria can form and cause an infection. Cysts, and even tumors, can form around impacted wisdom teeth and can destroy healthy teeth and the jawbone. This is why most people need wisdom teeth removal in San Francisco.

Our Dr. Alex Rabinovich is a board-certified maxillofacial surgeon, and with an oral examination and X-rays of the mouth he will be able to tell if there are any current problems or if there will be in the future.

In the majority of cases, wisdom teeth removal in San Francisco can be conducted under a local anesthetic in our office in the Financial District. The procedure does not take very long, and after removal you can rest under our supervision until you are ready to be taken home. In most cases, you can go back to school or work within a few days.