Could Dental Phobia That Interferes with Wisdom Tooth Extraction Be Overcome at Magok Station Sleep Dentistry?

Hello.

Smile Surgeon, who rebuilds your healthy smile,

I’m Won Yoo-jin from Magok Station Sleep Dentistry.

Today, I’d like to introduce

to those who are considering

wisdom tooth (third molar) extraction

a method for improving dental phobia.

@Source - J Korean Academy of Advanced General Dentistry 2018;7:23-29

These teeth usually begin to emerge around ages 18 to 20,

and it is best to have them extracted during this period.

The reason is that

as you get older, the bone becomes harder,

which increases the difficulty,

and the recovery period also becomes longer,

so treatment around the age of 20 is recommended.

However, in actual treatment,

I often see cases where people miss the right timing

and come in after struggling for a long time.

Why do people miss the timing and suffer?

I believe one reason is that

many people keep postponing treatment

because of dental phobia.

1. What kinds of uncomfortable symptoms are there?

Let’s look at the representative symptoms

that appear when third molars grow in.

✔ Pain and gum swelling

As the tooth erupts,

inflammation develops in the surrounding gums,

causing severe pain.

In particular, food often gets trapped, allowing bacteria to multiply,

which makes inflammation and swelling worse.

✔ Effects on nearby teeth

Third molars can cause pain or shifting

even in the surrounding teeth.

When there is not enough space,

the third molar may push against other natural teeth,

which can change the overall alignment of the dentition.

Here is why treatment should not be delayed,

as explained by Magok Station Sleep Dentistry.

Many people end up postponing wisdom tooth extraction

because of dental phobia.

However, delaying it can lead to bigger problems.

If you wait until the pain becomes unbearable and then visit,

it is often discovered that the third molar has developed decay

or that the surrounding inflammation has become severe,

and in such cases,

the difficulty of treatment also increases

and the recovery period may become longer.

To prevent this kind of situation,

conscious sedation can be a good solution.

Here is how conscious sedation works,

as explained by Magok Station Sleep Dentistry.

Conscious sedation helps patients receive treatment

while remaining comfortable.

Unlike general anesthesia, which causes complete loss of consciousness,

it maintains a light sedated state.

It is a balanced anesthesia method that minimizes pain

while ensuring the patient’s safety.

With psychological comfort,

time feels shorter.

Even people who feel afraid of dental treatment

can receive care relatively comfortably,

and recovery is also fairly quick.

Here are the characteristics of third molars by location,

as explained by Magok Station Sleep Dentistry.

The difficulty of extraction varies depending on the location.

Third molars in the upper jaw are relatively easier to access.

Because the root shape is often simple,

the chair time is relatively short.

When they are located in the lower jaw,

the root shape is often more complex than in the upper jaw,

so more time is relatively needed.

This is an area that requires careful approach,

considering the distance from the nerve canal,

and in particular, the lower left side is often an impacted wisdom tooth,

so a surgical incision may be necessary.

Therefore, after identifying the exact position and direction

through an X-ray image,

I believe a treatment plan should be made😊

Wisdom tooth extraction through conscious sedation,

what is the process like?

Looking at the X-ray prepared by Magok Station Sleep Dentistry,

we can observe a total of four third molars,

one in each quadrant of the upper and lower jaws.

Among them, the lower left and lower right teeth are growing sideways,

pushing against nearby adjacent teeth and causing harmful effects,

and food debris allows bacteria to multiply,

leading to inflammation and swelling.

In the case of the upper right tooth,

it is confirmed that it is continuously biting the surrounding soft tissue,

causing wounds and swelling.

Considering these points,

it would be best to prioritize extraction of the wisdom teeth

except for the upper left one.

When performing this extraction procedure,

it is important to accurately identify the location of the surrounding anatomical structures through 3D-CT

and then create an individualized plan,

and if dental phobia is present,

receiving treatment at a medical institution that performs conscious sedation

is one way to find psychological comfort.

It is better for the prognosis later on

to remove the tooth down to the root tip

without affecting nearby important structures or teeth.

Looking at the example photo prepared,

you can see that it was removed without leaving behind any root fragments.

All treatments can be simply resolved if appropriate care is received early,

but if you endure for too long, they can develop into bigger problems.

I hope this was helpful for those who are considering wisdom tooth extraction,

and I’ll wrap up here.

This was Dr. Won Yoo-jin from Magok Station Sleep Dentistry.

Thank you for reading this long post.

Treatment period: 20250624~ 20250717