Tag Archives: wisdom teeth

The ABCs of Tooth Extractions | Indianapolis Dentist

November 30, 2021Dental Health, Extractions, general dentistry, General Health, Oral Care, Oral Health, Teeth, Teeth Crowdingbaby teeth, crowded teeth, dental care, dental extractions, Dental Health, dental hygiene, dentist in indianapolis, dentist in indianapolis in, Dr. George Kirtley, Dr. George Kirtley Indianapolis Indiana, Dr. Kirtley, extractions, family dentist, family dentistry, general dentist, General Dentistry, Great Lakes Family Dental, Indianapolis Dentist, Indianapolis IN, infected teeth, Oral care, oral health, oral hygiene, pediatric dentistry, Smiles by George, Tooth Decay, toothaches, wisdom teethadmin

There’s a classic idiom in the English language that compares unpleasant, difficult tasks to pulling teeth. Known as dental extraction, pulling teeth is recommended in situations in which you’ve likely developed a toothache and it hurt enough to visit the dentist. And while it isn’t our idea of a fun day, dental extractions have come a long way, and you shouldn’t have a bad feeling about getting one. Here are some of the reasons your tooth needs to be extracted:

Seriously damaged teeth, either due to injury or decay, unable to be saved
A wisdom tooth (third molar) that may cause crowding, alignment problems, pain, or infection
Teeth blocking another tooth from coming in
Baby tooth that didn’t fall out in time
Crowded teeth may require removal to allow braces to better adjust the remaining teeth
Infected teeth that could potentially be an infection source in high-risk patients such as those undergoing organ transplants or cancer treatment

Extractions typically fall into one of two classes – simple and surgical. Dentists often perform simple extractions, which generally involve a single tooth that is visible in the mouth, with clear alignment – after numbing the area with local anesthetic, the tooth will be loosened using an instrument known as an elevator, and then pulled with an instrument known as forceps. For surgical removal, the surgeon may use local anesthetic, moderate sedation, or general anesthesia, and likely use a combination of tools and techniques to remove teeth that may be difficult to see (or still within the gums).

If your dentist recommends an extraction, it’s likely that you have a potentially serious problem. While it’s unlikely you’ll celebrate the news, you need not fear – there are worse problems to have than pulling teeth.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile. Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

When It’s too Crowded | Indianapolis Dentist

December 31, 2019Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, general dentistry, General Health, Oral Care, Restorative Dentistry, Smile Makeover, Teeth, Teeth Crowdingcrowding, dental issues, Dr. George Kirtley, Dr. George Kirtley Indianapolis Indiana, Dr. Kirtley, Gum disease, Indianapolis Dentist, Indianapolis IN, Indianpolis Cosmetic Dentist, mesial drift, Periodontal Disease, teeth crowding, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, wisdom teethadmin

There is nothing more uncomfortable than being stuck in a crowd. It’s hot, it makes you feel helpless and chances are someone has bad breath. The same goes for teeth. Teeth crowding is the lack of space for all the teeth to fit normally within the jaws, causing the teeth to become twisted or displaced.

One of the common causes of tooth crowding is natural occurrence – so called mesial drift phenomenon, where your front teeth drift slowly to the center of the mouth. In the past, some dentists believed this was caused by the presence of wisdom teeth, crowding the front teeth from the rear of the mouth, though in reality many of the problems are due to simple insufficient space for the number of teeth as adults grow. Beyond mesial drift, other potential causes – such as weakened support due to periodontal disease, thumb sucking, and tongue thrusting – can also influence teeth to move in directions that are undesirable, leading to misalignment and crowding issues. We see many adult patients who had relatively straight teeth as teenagers coming to correct new crowding that has developed, especially in the lower front teeth.

Many see crowding as a cosmetic problem, the reality is that poorly aligned teeth are at an increased risk for periodontal disease, decay, and the patient is more likely to suffer from TMJ (jaw-joint) problems, as their irregular bite may cause strain on their jaw over time. For these reasons, fixing alignment should be considered more than simply a cosmetic procedure – correcting the alignment allows the patient to have better access to brush and floss, and their bite will be more level.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile. Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

It Shouldn’t Be Like Pulling Teeth | Indianapolis Dentist

November 30, 2019Dental Health, general dentistry, General Health, Oral Care, Oral Health, Teeth, Teeth Crowdingbaby teeth, Cosmetic Dentist, Cosmetic Dentistry, cosmetic digital imaging, crowding, dental care, dental extractions, Dental Health, Dr. George Kirtley Indianapolis Indiana, Dr. Kirtley, General Dentistry, Indianapolis Cosmetic Dentist, Indianapolis Dentist, Indianapolis IN, infections, Oral care, oral health, pulling teeth, Teeth, teeth crowding, tooth crowding, wisdom teethadmin

Have you ever heard the phrase “it’s like pulling teeth”? It is generally used to describe something unfun. And if you think about it, they’re right – having a tooth pulled is no fun. But there are lots of reason a tooth needs to be pulled.

Your dentist may recommend extraction if you tooth is…

Seriously damaged, either due to injury or decay, and cannot be saved
A wisdom tooth (third molar), it may cause crowding, alignment problems, pain, or infection
Blocking another tooth from coming in
A baby tooth that didn’t fall out in time
Causing crowding, a dentist or orthodontist may recommend removing some teeth to allow braces to better adjust the remaining teeth
Infected, or could potentially be an infection source in high risk patients such as those undergoing organ transplants or cancer treatment

Extractions typically fall into one of two classes – simple and surgical. Dentists often perform simple extractions, where oral surgeons often perform surgical extractions. Simple extractions generally involve a single tooth that is visible in the mouth, with clear alignment – after numbing the area with local anesthetic, the tooth will be loosened using an instrument known as an elevator, and then pulled with an instrument known as forceps. For surgical removal, the surgeon may use local anesthetic, moderate sedation, or general anesthesia, and likely use a combination of tools and techniques to remove teeth that may be difficult to see (or still within the gums).

If your dentist recommends an extraction, it’s likely that you have a potentially serious problem. While it’s unlikely you’ll celebrate the news, you need not fear; pulling teeth today isn’t as painful as the saying makes it out to be.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile. Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.