Most jaws don't have room for wisdom teeth, which show up between 17 and 25. Dr. Ben Areheart removes them in our Rock Hill office, from simple extractions to teeth still trapped under the gum. And if the thought makes your stomach drop, IV sedation lets you relax through the whole appointment.
Prefer to talk? Call (803) 328-3886.
No mystery, no surprises. Here's the whole process, start to finish.
Dr. Areheart examines the area and takes an X-ray to see where each tooth sits and how the roots curve. Then he tells you plainly what he'd do: take out one tooth, all four, or leave them alone and watch. If an impaction belongs with an oral surgeon instead, he'll say so and set up the referral himself.
Your mouth gets numbed completely before anything starts. A tooth that's fully through the gum is loosened and lifted out. An impacted one takes a small opening in the gum, and sometimes the tooth comes out in sections, which sounds worse than it feels. Dissolvable stitches close things up when they're needed.
You leave with gauze in place and written instructions for the first few days: soft foods, no straws, ice on a schedule. Most people are back to work or school within two or three days. If anything feels off while you heal, call us.
You wouldn't be the first. IV sedation keeps you comfortable and relaxed from sit-down to done, and most patients say the visit felt shorter than it was.
The classic one is a dull ache way in the back of your mouth that keeps coming back. Add a swollen flap of gum over a half-erupted tooth, a stiff jaw, or a bad taste that brushing won't fix, and it's time for an X-ray. A wisdom tooth growing in sideways can also quietly damage the healthy molar next to it long before anything hurts.
Not every problem announces itself, either. Plenty of the wisdom teeth we remove were spotted on a routine checkup X-ray before a single symptom. Taking them out early, while the roots are still short, usually means an easier extraction and a faster recovery. That's why we watch them at every teenager's cleaning as their family dentist.
Also: back-of-the-mouth pain isn't always a wisdom tooth. Sometimes the culprit is a cracked or decayed molar next door, and the fix is a regular tooth extraction or a repair instead. The X-ray settles it in about a minute.
And if your face is swelling or the pain is severe right now, don't wait for a routine slot. If you have a dental emergency, we can often treat you the same day depending on the complexity of the problem. See our emergency dentistry page, or just call.
Dr. Areheart earned his dental degree at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2011, then served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, where his advanced residency training included sedation dentistry. He's been the dentist at Piedmont Dental since 2014.
Two words come up in his reviews over and over: gentle, and quick. He'll show you what's on your X-ray, tell you what he'd do if it were his own kid's mouth, and he won't pull a tooth that can be left alone.
It depends on three things: how many teeth are coming out, how deeply each one is impacted, and which sedation you choose. A tooth buried sideways under bone is a bigger job than one already through the gum.
So we don't quote a number until Dr. Areheart has seen your X-ray. Once he has, you get the full plan and the cost before anything is scheduled, and nobody here will push you toward more treatment than you need.
Wisdom tooth extraction is usually considered necessary dental care, so many plans help with it. We file almost all insurances if your plan allows out of network providers. Our front desk will help with your specific situation before you commit to anything.
The extraction itself shouldn't. Your mouth is fully numbed first, and IV sedation is available if you'd rather relax through the whole visit. Afterward you can expect soreness and swelling for a few days, which ice and our aftercare plan keep manageable.
Most people are back to work or school in two to three days, with swelling peaking around day two and fading through the week. Stick to soft foods at first and skip straws and smoking, since suction can dislodge the healing clot and cause a painful dry socket.
Not always. Some people only have trouble with one or two, and some wisdom teeth come in straight with room to spare. Dr. Areheart goes by what your X-ray shows, not by a default of four, and he'll leave healthy teeth alone.
Yes. We offer IV sedation in our Rock Hill office, which is uncommon for a general practice. You stay comfortable and relaxed the entire time. You'll need someone to drive you home afterward, and we'll walk you through how to prepare before your visit.
Call us at (803) 328-3886. If you have a dental emergency, we can often treat you the same day depending on the complexity of the problem. We're open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at 1562 Constitution Blvd #101 in Rock Hill.
Wisdom teeth are a particular kind of extraction, and IV sedation is available for them. The question we get asked most is answered in can you drive yourself home afterward. If one is already infected and painful, go to emergency care first.
Call and tell us what you're feeling. The front desk will get you in for an X-ray with Dr. Areheart, and you'll know exactly where you stand before you leave.
Call (803) 328-3886