Woman holding jaw in pain

Wisdom Teeth Removal


Some wisdom teeth erupt normally, but others become impacted or trapped, causing problems like damage, overcrowding, and discomfort. At Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe, our doctors can provide wisdom teeth removal for cases both simple and complex. Serving the Taos, Los Alamos, and Santa Fe, NM, area, our practice is the premier destination for wisdom tooth care.

Need a Dentist Now? We Can Help - Contact Us 

Painful dental problems like impacted wisdom teeth need prompt attention. Are your wisdom teeth giving you trouble? Don't wait to find a dentist who can help—get in touch with our Santa Fe, NM, team for emergency care. We'll do everything we can to get you in for same-day treatment to relieve pain and preserve your oral health. Contact us online or call us today:

What Is a Wisdom Tooth?

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the teeth in the very back of your mouth. They typically erupt in the late teens or early twenties. As long as they erupt normally and have sufficient room to grow in the jaw, wisdom teeth function just like normal molars, and patients can leave them alone. However, in other cases, these molars may need to be removed to address or prevent complications. 
Illustration of impacted wisdom tooth crowding another tooth
If there is not enough room for a wisdom tooth to erupt, it can severely damage neighboring teeth and cause them to become misaligned. 

Reasons to Remove Your Wisdom Teeth

Although some wisdom teeth erupt normally, others can cause serious discomfort or complications, such as:

Impaction

For some patients, wisdom teeth may not be able to completely erupt through the jawbone or soft tissue. Impacted teeth can cause inflammation, discomfort, infection, and other issues. Bacteria can also become trapped, leading to a potentially serious infection.

Insufficient Room in the Jaw

Many people do not have enough room in their jaws for these teeth to properly erupt. As a result, wisdom teeth can often cause severe crowding or gum swelling as they come in. Some patients elect to have the teeth removed as early as possible when a dentist identifies this risk.

Tooth Damage

Wisdom teeth can also cause damage to surrounding teeth or tooth roots. We can remove third molars to prevent damage or treat trauma to neighboring teeth.

Cysts and Tumors

In the most serious cases, wisdom teeth can cause cysts and tumors. Our doctors can remove your third molars to address these issues or prevent them altogether.

Our doctors will carefully assess every case and only recommend removing your wisdom teeth if they believe it will relieve pain and help your oral and overall health. 

Find Relief From Your Wisdom Tooth Symptoms Request an Appointment With Us Today

At Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe, we want patients in Taos, Los Alamos, and nearby to feel safe and comfortable while they receive the highest level of dental care. 

Our doctors have extensive training and experience in wisdom tooth care, and are members of various notable organizations: 

  • The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 
  • The Southwest Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
  • The American Dental Association

If you are experiencing symptoms of wisdom tooth complications, or if you are interested in preventive wisdom tooth extraction, contact us online or call our office today:

(505) 984-0694

our dental team

"I had zero fears about my surgery" What Our Wisdom Tooth Patients Say

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Tonya Navarro

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The entire staff all have hearts of gold.  Dr. Healey and his assistant Charlie were amazing with my wisdom teeth extraction.   Not only did Dr. Healey have an excellent and professional yet warm and caring manner to him, he truly knows his stuff.   I had zero fears about my surgery and I am glad my experience was with him.  Highly recommended!

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1

Montessa Valdez

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Dr. Healy has performed surgical wisdom teeth removal on both my teenagers and they both had a positive experience. I noticed that even within one years time he changed his practice so when it came to my daughter we followed her regime as given and her recovery went even better than my son's. Dr. Healy has a great patient manner and develops trust with his patients. He takes his time and explains things very well. Thank you Dr. Healy for doing such a great job with both my children. The dental assistants are wonderful!

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The Benefits of Wisdom Tooth Removal  At Our Santa Fe, NM, Oral Surgery Practice

Prevent Future Issues

Wisdom tooth removal at our Santa Fe, NM, office can often prevent future problems, such as pain, swelling, infection, and dental crowding. Tooth extraction can also provide immediate relief for those suffering from complications.

Minimal Discomfort & Downtime

Dr. Sean M. Healy and Dr. Diego Hurtado offer several types of dental sedation to ensure that your procedure is comfortable. They also offer advanced platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) therapy to help make your recovery efficient and complication-free.

High-Quality Care

As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, our doctors have the training and experience to handle the most complex wisdom tooth cases. Other dentists often refer their most complicated cases to our team.

Wisdom Teeth Can Cause Damage

Some wisdom teeth erupt normally, but impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain, cavities, and damage to other teeth. Using an X-ray, the oral surgeons at Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe can determine whether wisdom tooth removal is needed. Wisdom tooth removal is a fairly straightforward procedure, and our doctors will provide detailed post-operative instructions to ensure healthy healing and recovery.

Explore Preventive Wisdom Tooth Extraction From Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe

Many parents choose to have their children's wisdom teeth removed before they cause any discomfort or health issues. With regular dental visits, we can determine when your child's wisdom teeth have begun to develop, and perform extraction as a means of preventing a host of complications. Preventive wisdom tooth extraction is usually performed during a child's late high school years.

Removing wisdom teeth before the roots develop is often far simpler than performing extraction after the third molars have a chance to cause oral health issues. Under our care, you can expect that your child's preventive wisdom tooth extraction procedure will be as comfortable as possible, and will set the stage for excellent oral health for many years to come.

To get started, contact our Santa Fe, NM, office or call:

(505) 984-0694

Office exterior
You can avoid swelling gums, sore jaws, and tooth pain with wisdom tooth removal at our Santa Fe, NM, office.

"Highly recommend them." More 5-Star Patient Reviews

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Vincent Montano

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I had 4 wisdom teeth removed. Dr. Hurtado performed the procedure and did a fantastic job. There were no issues with the overall procedure, and the procedure was complete in about one hour. Dr. Hurtado was more than willing to answer all my questions prior to and after surgery, and his staff would also give follow up phone calls to check on my recovery and provide guidance in the recovery process. All were very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center of Santa Fe for all needing oral surgery.

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1

Katie Higgins

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All the staff is helpful and kind. Dr. Healy is a wonderfuly skilled oral surgeon! I had 3 wisdom teeth removed, and i had no complications- just followed the instructuons they gave me. My surgery went super fast (like an hour to remove 3 teeth), and my pain after surgery was very minimal. My face never even swelled or bruised! Least traumatic tooth pulling experience i have ever had!

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Nervous About Your Wisdom Tooth Extraction? We Offer Sedation to Keep You Comfortable

Many people who need their wisdom teeth removed do not get the care they need because they have heard horror stories about the procedure. However, wisdom tooth extractions are relatively simple and straightforward procedures for oral surgeons. We take extra measures to make the surgery and recovery as comfortable and safe as possible, such as offering multiple types of calming sedation and using sophisticated techniques that minimize trauma to surrounding tissues. 

Man with tooth pain

Using the Latest Technology  To Plan Wisdom Tooth Extractions

Each patient is unique, so each wisdom tooth extraction is carefully planned with the patient's facial anatomy in mind. When planning your wisdom teeth removal, our oral surgeons may order a computed tomography (CT) scan. This advanced imaging exam helps our surgeons: 

  • Evaluate your tooth root positions
  • Avoid disrupting the nerves and sinuses

Our surgeons are renowned for their easygoing, approachable, and warm dispositions. In spite of their advanced training, they are good communicators who make patients feel informed and comfortable about their care at every step. If you live in Taos, Los Alamos, or a nearby community, we'd love to meet with you.

smiling young lady looking at CT Scan

"Smooth and Painless." Great Reviews From Wisdom Tooth Patients

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Wei Yu

Santa Fe, NM

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Friendly staff, and very professional! I was so nervous getting my wisdom teeth taken out, but they were so nice and answered all my questions. The dentist himself was very professional, and everyone was amazing. Highly recommend to anyone

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1

T V

Santa Fe, NM

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Dr. Diego Hurtado, Ashley, and the entire team were terrific. The professionalism, customer service, patient care, communication, guidance, and follow ups were the best I've experienced in our State. Dr. Hurtado provided exceptional medical care for a complicated wisdom tooth extraction, and I highly recommend Dr. Hurtado and his team!

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The Wisdom Tooth Removal Timeline

As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, our doctors have the training and experience to handle the most complex wisdom tooth cases. Other dentists often refer their most complicated cases to our team.
As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, our doctors have the training and experience to handle the most complex wisdom tooth cases. Other dentists often refer their most complicated cases to our team.

Consultation

Whether you have a referral or you simply want to see if you might need a wisdom tooth extraction, one of our surgeons will conduct a complete exam. With our advanced CT scans, we can easily evaluate your jaw bone to look for impacted teeth or teeth that may be coming in at an angle. During your consultation, one of our surgeons will also discuss the procedure, recovery, and dietary restrictions with you to ensure that it is a good time for your procedure. 

Preparation

Before your extraction, our surgeons will prescribe antibiotics and an antibiotic rinse to ease post-treatment discomfort. These medications can also reduce the risk of dry socket. Dry socket is a side effect of dental extraction. It occurs when the blood clot that forms at the extraction site is dislodged. Dry socket can cause discomfort and sensitivity for several days.

Sedation

One of our oral surgeons will use local anesthesia to numb the extraction site. If desired, you can also choose to receive sedation. In most cases, we recommend deep intravenous (IV) sedation. This method will put you into a twilight sleep, in which you will be technically awake but unaware of what is going on around you. 

Extraction

After you have been made comfortable, one of our surgeons will create any necessary incisions in your gums to allow access to the wisdom teeth. There are several techniques that he may use to remove the teeth. Even in more complicated cases, you can expect minimal discomfort.

PRF & Sutures

After removing your wisdom teeth, our surgeons will place a platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) membrane over the extraction site. This membrane contains growth factors, which will help your gums and jaw bone to heal more quickly. Dr. Healy or Dr. Hurtado will use dissolvable sutures to close the incisions in your gums, so you will not need to come back in to have your stitches removed.

Your Wisdom Tooth Removal Recovery

We recommend that you take it easy for a couple of days immediately following your procedure. You can usually return to your normal routine in about a week, but Dr. Healy or Dr. Hurtado will provide further guidance at your post-operative consultation.

Most patients will experience soreness for about three to four days. Any post-operative discomfort can be controlled with over-the-counter pain medication. Soreness and tenderness of the gums and muscles persist for about one or two weeks, and you will need to avoid brushing the extraction site directly for about two to three weeks. Most people can return to a normal diet consisting of any foods they wish after about three weeks. 

A week after the procedure, Dr. Healy or Dr. Hurtado will need to schedule you or your child for a follow-up to ensure healing is progressing free of complications such as infection.

Do I Need to Replace My Wisdom Teeth?

No! Wisdom teeth do not need to be replaced after extraction. Once the procedure is done, you won't have to think about them again. However, if any teeth other than your wisdom teeth are missing, you should absolutely consider replacing them with the best treatment for the job—dental implants.
illustration of a dental implant in the jaw

Dental implants are like titanium tooth roots. They are surgically embedded into the jawbone where the missing tooth roots once were. This allows them to provide stimulation that keeps the jaw healthy, prevents other teeth from shifting, and preserves your natural facial structure. Once fused with the jaw, dental implants can support custom tooth restorations, such as crowns, bridges, or dentures.

Again, you won't need dental implants after having your wisdom teeth removed, but if any of your other teeth are missing, they can do wonders for your oral health, dental function, and smile.

"No soreness whatsoever the next day." Why Taos, Los Alamos, and Greater Santa Fe, NM, Choose Us

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mark martinez

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This place is amazing! Friendly staff and awesome experience. I got a tooth extracted was in and out and no. Soreness what so ever the next day. Highly recommend them.

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Brandon Short

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easiest extractions I've had(I've had a few) quick and painless. was super surprised! thank you guys!

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The Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe

At The Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center of Santa Fe, Drs. Healy and Hurtado use the latest technologies to perform wisdom teeth removals, dental implant placement, and more. Our surgeons are affiliated with several professional organizations, including:

  • The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
  • The Southwest Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
  • The American Dental Association

To schedule a consultation, contact us online or by calling (505) 984-0694.

Contact Us Today

"I was nervous... but Dr. Healy and his nurses put me at ease, and he even gave me a call the evening after surgery to make sure I was ok." From a Google Review

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