Extractions done with the utmost care, and thought for what comes next.
How a tooth comes out decides what is left behind. A socket handled carefully heals into bone you can build on. One that is not heals into a dent.
Wisdom teeth
Third molars arrive last, into a jaw that has usually run out of room. Where they end up decides whether they are harmless or a problem waiting to happen.
Reasons to take them out
Repeated infection or swelling. Decay in the wisdom tooth or the molar it presses against. A cyst around a buried crown. Bone loss behind the second molar.
Reasons to leave them alone
Fully erupted, upright, cleanable and doing no harm. We do not remove wisdom teeth because they exist.
Timing matters. Roots are shorter and bone more forgiving in the late teens and early twenties; the same tooth at forty is a bigger procedure.
Comfort, health and safety come first
Ahead of speed and convenience. If a case is safer done somewhere else, that is what we will tell you.
We look before we start
3D imaging where the anatomy calls for it — lower wisdom teeth near the nerve canal, upper roots near the sinus. Knowing where they are is how complications get avoided.
Your medical history is not a formality
Blood thinners, bisphosphonates, uncontrolled diabetes, heart valve history — each changes how we plan, and some need a word with your physician first.
Sedation if you want it
We do not begin until you say you are ready. Sedation is available for anyone whose anxiety is the real obstacle — and for a lot of people, it is.
Why we graft the socket
The bone that held a tooth starts disappearing as soon as it is gone, outer wall first. Graft material placed at the extraction holds the space while your body turns it into your own bone.
To keep an implant possible
An implant needs bone in the right place and width. Graft the socket and the site is ready when you are; skip it and you may face a larger procedure later, or no room at all.
To stop a food trap forming
A collapsed ridge leaves a hollow that catches food every meal, and drives decay in the good teeth either side.
To keep the way it looks
Gum follows bone. Lose the bone and you get a visible notch in the ridge, or a tooth that looks longer than its neighbor.
Not every socket needs grafting, and we will tell you when it does not. But this decision has an expiry date, and it expires the day the tooth comes out.
Who is doing the surgery
Dr. Andrew Lisy completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency built around surgery — third molar removal, surgical extractions, bone grafting and implant placement. Because he places implants himself, extractions are handled by someone who already knows what the site has to become.
- AEGD residency in third molar extractions, surgical extractions and bone grafting
- Atraumatic technique, preserving the socket walls
- Socket preservation grafting at the time of extraction
- 3D imaging before surgical cases
- Sedation options available for anxious patients
Questions patients actually ask
Do you remove wisdom teeth in South Pittsburg, TN?
Yes. Dr. Andrew Lisy removes wisdom teeth at Arch Dental, 1904 S Cedar Ave in South Pittsburg. His residency training included third molar removal and surgical extractions. Call (423) 837-8900 to book a consultation.
Do I need an oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth out?
Not always. Many wisdom teeth can be removed safely by a general dentist with surgical training, which is the training Dr. Lisy received in his Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency. Dr. Lisy is a general dentist, not an oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist. After an exam and, where needed, a 3D scan, we tell you plainly whether your teeth are a case for this office or one that is safer with a specialist, and we refer you if it is.
How much does wisdom teeth removal cost?
The fee depends on how many teeth need to come out, how deeply they sit and whether you choose sedation. You will know the cost before treatment begins. We work with your dental insurance, and financing is available; see our Financing page.
How long does it take to recover from wisdom teeth removal?
Most people are back to their normal routine within a few days to a week, and the first two or three days are the most uncomfortable. The gum and bone take several weeks to heal completely. Recovery varies with how the teeth are positioned and how many are removed, and you can call us if anything seems off.
Do all four wisdom teeth have to come out at once?
Not necessarily, though doing them together means one recovery instead of several. If only one is causing trouble, we take out that one.
Will I be put to sleep?
Sedation is available, and most patients are far more comfortable than they expected. We will go through the options at your consultation.
What is a dry socket?
The clot is lost before the site has healed under it. It shows up three to five days afterward as pain getting worse rather than better. Avoiding suction prevents most cases, and it is quick to treat.
Get a straight answer about your teeth
Bring your questions and any recent x-rays. You will leave knowing whether the tooth needs to come out, whether the site should be grafted, and what it will cost.
Whether a tooth requires removal, and whether a site suits grafting or an implant, is determined by clinical examination and imaging. Surgical procedures carry risks that will be discussed with you in full before treatment. Recovery times vary.