Different Reasons a Tooth May Be Extracted

At Riverwalk Dental, we will do everything we can to avoid pulling a tooth, but it can’t always be avoided. Sometimes tooth extraction is necessary when there is more damage that can be repaired, or if a tooth is badly infected and extraction is the only solution. Wisdom teeth are the most common extraction procedure here at our practice, but other reasons for tooth extraction may include the following.

• Severe tooth damage/trauma – some teeth have such extensive decay and damage (broken or cracked) that repair is not possible.


• Orthodontic treatment – people getting braces may need teeth extracted to create room for teeth that are being moved into place.


• Some teeth may need to be extracted if they have the potential of becoming infected.


• Extra teeth – extra teeth may block other teeth from erupting, therefore will require extraction.

If you have questions or concerns about tooth extraction, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located in Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

There’s a debate on whether or not we actually need to keep our wisdom teeth, but our doctors at Riverwalk Dental suggest removal with good reason. Wisdom teeth are the third molars located in the back of the mouth and typically there isn’t enough room for them to grow. When wisdom teeth erupt, they tend to push against the surrounding teeth causing pain. When they are impacted (under the gum) they can lead to infection.

Extracting wisdom teeth is best because they usually do more harm than good.  They’re useful for chomping on food faster but otherwise, serve no actual purpose. Once wisdom teeth are extracted, recovery takes about seven days. During this time you will need to follow post-op instructions to ensure that the stitches don’t come undone.

If you have questions or concerns regarding wisdom teeth extraction, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Wisdom Teeth Function

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. During this “age of wisdom” phase, sometimes teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often they are misaligned and require removal. Some might think of wisdom teeth as spare tires because if you lost your teeth, the wisdom teeth would be extra teeth that come in and function like normal teeth. Here at Riverwalk Dental, our doctors can perform extractions depending on their position and stage of development.

So why do we have them? Anthropologists believe wisdom teeth or the third set of molars, were the evolutionary answer to our ancestor’s early diet of coarse, rough food – like leaves, roots, nuts and meats – which required more chewing power and resulted in excessive wear of the teeth. The modern diet with its softer foods, along with marvels of modern technologies such as forks, spoons, and knives, has made the need for wisdom teeth nonexistent; however, they don’t always need to be removed.

If your wisdom teeth are still present and they are beginning to bother you, give us a call to discuss your options. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.