Wisdom Teeth Extractions in New York, NY

Your third and final molars to emerge are your wisdom teeth, which usually come in when you are between 17 and 25 years old. While many people do not experience problems with these new teeth, many others find that theirs must be removed. If your mouth does not have enough room for these molars to come in, a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary, and at our office in New York, NY, Dr. Lloyd Becker can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is the best course of action for you.

Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they become impacted, which means that the tooth does not have enough room to come in straight through the gums and instead emerges at an angle. This can cause pain, damage to the jaw and a more crooked smile. Additionally, the site of impaction can become a bacterial hotspot since impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean.

Wisdom teeth extractions can range from removing a single tooth to removing all four teeth at once. Dr. Becker will let you know what he thinks is best for you. For the procedure, he will use either a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate you while the teeth are extracted. The tooth will then be accessed through an incision in the gums and wiggled until it is loose enough to be lifted out. If the tooth is too deeply embedded to be removed this way, it will be broken up into pieces before being removed.

Whether you are already feeling pain due to impacted wisdom teeth or have not yet felt them come in, we can determine if your wisdom teeth will cause problems for you. To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call 212-509-4585. For more information, visit www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Does Your Tooth Still Hurt After a Root Canal?

If you’re still experiencing pain after a root canal, you may be wondering why. Aren’t root canals meant to take your pain away? There are many reasons why your tooth may still be hurting. It is possible that the base of your tooth root (periapical) is still slightly tender or that your pain is caused by a temporary filling that is a bit too high. In these cases, taking OTC painkillers, preferably ibuprofen, may be all you need to alleviate your pain while your root canal heals.

However, if you’ve had a root canal at our practice in New York, NY and are still experiencing pain that is severe or persistent, you should call our office immediately. The dentist may need to prescribe you an antibiotic to make sure the infection does not remain, or he may need to perform retreatment.

At your follow-up appointment, Dr. Lloyd Becker will want to know what type of pain you are experiencing. Is your tooth sensitive to hot and cold? Is it the tooth root that is sensitive or the gums that are over the tooth? Is it a constant ache, or does it only hurt when biting? Is there any swelling, drainage or pus? The answers to these questions will give Dr. Becker the information he needs to diagnose your pain.

Root canals don’t always work, and there are many reasons for this, including fractures of the root, convoluted or twisted root structures and failure to protect the root canal after the procedure. If this occurs, you may need further treatment. If the root canal was successful, it should feel normal most of the time.

To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call 212-509-4585. For more information, visit www.maidenlanedental.com.

Root Canal

While the thought of having root canal therapy fills many patients with dread, the procedure is a necessary one for those whose teeth become infected in the nerves. If left untreated, infections can cause more than pain; they can turn into abscesses, which may lead to a loss of bone mass in the jaw. Treatment is imperative, and you can trust Dr. Lloyd Becker to relieve your pain at our office in New York, NY.

Although root canals may not sound pleasant to you, they are well worth it to stop your pain and improve your oral health. While there may be some soreness after the procedure, it is only temporary and is usually nothing that over-the-counter painkillers cannot take care of.

During a root canal, Dr. Becker will remove the infection by applying a local anesthetic to the area and drilling into the tooth to create an opening in the canal. Then he will remove the infected tissue and clean the area. Once the infection has been removed, your tooth will be filled with a sealant and then fitted with a crown to protect it from infection in the future. The crown also helps improve the appearance and strength of the tooth. After the procedure is completed and soreness subsides, you will once again be able to eat without experiencing pain and sensitivity to heat, cold and pressure.

If you’re in pain, you don’t need to suffer. Schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental by calling 212-509-4585. For more information, visitwww.maidenlanedental.com.