Wisdom Teeth Removal

By the age of 18, the average adult has 32 teeth; 16 teeth on the top and 16 teeth on the bottom. Each tooth in the mouth has a specific name and function. The teeth in the front of the mouth ( incisors, canine and bicuspid teeth ) are ideal for grasping and biting food into smaller pieces. The back teeth( molar teeth) are used to grind food up into a consistency suitable for swallowing. The average mouth is made to hold only 28 teeth. It can be painful when 32 teeth try to fit it in a mouth that hold only 28 teeth. These four other teeth are your third molars, also known as "wisdom teeth".

Why should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. When they align properly and the gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this does not generally happen. The extraction of wisdom teeth is necessary when they prevented from properly erupting within the mouth. They may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum, and even remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to successfully erupt.

These poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause many problems. When they are partially erupted, the opening around the teeth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually will cause an infection. The result: swelling, stiffness,pain and illness. The pressure from the erupting wisdom teeth may move other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of teeth. The most serious problems occurs when tumors or cysts form around the impacted wisdom teeth, resulting in the destruction of the jaw bone and healthy teeth. Removal of the offending impacted teeth usually resolves these problems. Early removal is recommended to avoid such future problems and to decrease the surgical risk involved with the procedure. In most cases the removal of wisdom teeth is performed under local anesthesia,laughing gas ( nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia).These options as well as surgical risks will be discussed with you before the procedure is performed. Once the teeth are removed, the gum is sutured. To help controlled bleeding, bite down on the gauze placed in your mouth. You will rest under our supervision in the office until you are ready to be taken home. Upon discharge your post operative kit will include post operative instructions, a prescription for pain medication, antibiotic and a follow up appointment in one week for suture removal.

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