Kenai Dental Clinic

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

In our late teens or early twenties, our third molars, commonly known as our wisdom teeth, begin to come in.  In many cases, the jaw is simply not large enough to accommodate the extra teeth, and they become impacted, meaning they remain under the gum.

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause further complications including infection, crowding, damage to other teeth, cysts that permanently damage the jaw and others. In instances where the wisdom teeth do come through the gums, it may be at an awkward angle, also necessitating wisdom tooth extraction.  While it is difficult to predict whether your impacted teeth will cause such damage, it is highly likely complications will arise. Regular x-rays help your doctor track your wisdom teeth and make decisions about removal.

The extraction of wisdom teeth is a common, and oftentimes necessary procedure, performed under local anesthesia. Barring any complications, the tooth can be easily removed in one piece.  After surgery, patients can expect varying levels of swelling and discomfort.
However, we do everything possible to minimize pain and recovery time.

If you need your wisdom teeth removed, call our office today.  We're happy to help.

Root Canal

In the past, teeth with diseased nerves have been removed from the mouth. However, through a root canal, most of the diseased tooth can be salvaged. In most cases, the root canal procedure is a simple treatment that involves little to no patient discomfort.

Within the walls of each tooth, a strand of dental pulp the substance that supplies the tooth with nerves, nutrients, connective tissue and blood vessels laces downward into the root. If the dental pulp becomes diseased, the pulp dies, cutting off the nutrients and nerve signals which the tooth needs to be healthy. If the diseased pulp is left in the tooth, the tooth will become infected, forcing it to need extraction.

Root canals allow the dentist remove the pulp, clean the canal and seal the tooth, effectively protecting and saving the tooth. After an opening is created through the crown of the tooth into the dental pulp chamber, the pulp is removed. The canal is cleaned out, and the pulp chamber is permanently filled. The dentist will proceed by putting in a temporary filling.  Afterwards, the temporary filling will be replaced with a permanent filling or a crown, depending on the location of the tooth within the mouth.

Call us to learn more about the root canal treatment and whether this option is right for you.