| Edward L. Kasper, D.D.S. | Wilson P. Heaton, D.D.S. | Bradley C. Wright, D.D.S. |
| Carlo G. Pagni, M.B,. B.Ch., B.A.O., B.D.S., F.D.S.R.C.S. (Eng.) | ||
| Wisdom Teeth | |
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Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to develop and appear in the mouth. They are called "wisdom teeth" because they usually appear during a person's late teens or early twenties, which has been called the age of wisdom. The normal position of wisdom teeth is behind the upper and lower second, or 12-year, molars. Many times the jaws of modern humans are not normally large enough to accommodate the four wisdom teeth. This is why wisdom teeth cause more problems than any other teeth in the mouth. In fact, for nine out of ten people at least one wisdom tooth remains underneath the gum due to lack of space in the mouth. IMPACTED WISDOM TEETH When a wisdom tooth is blocked from erupting or coming into the mouth normally, it is termed impacted. A tooth may be only partially impacted, meaning it grows in crooked and breaks through the gum only partially, or may fail to break through at all and thus remains totally impacted. Serious problems can develop from partially impacted teeth, such as pain, infection, and crowding of, or damage to, adjacent teeth. For totally impacted teeth, more serious problems can occur if the sac that surrounds the impacted tooth fills with fluid and enlarges to form a cyst. This enlargement can hollow out the jaw and result in permanent damage to the adjacent teeth, jawbone and nerves. If a cyst is not treated, a tumor may develop from the walls of the cyst and a more involved surgical procedure may be required for removal. Many problems with wisdom teeth can occur with few or no symptoms, so there can be damage without your knowledge. It is important to know that as wisdom teeth develop, their roots become longer and the jawbone more dense. Thus, as a person grows older, it becomes more difficult to remove wisdom teeth and complications can become more severe. In addition, as people age there is an increased chance of the symptoms mentioned above. For these reasons, the surgeon may recommend the removal of wisdom teeth even if they are not yet causing obvious problems, particularly for young adults.  TREATMENT OF IMPACTED WISDOM TEETH Treatment of impacted wisdom teeth involves their removal using special surgical techniques appropriate for each individual case. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a dentist with specialized training in the removal of wisdom teeth. The removal of wisdom teeth can be performed on an out-patient basis, either in the dental office, or in some cases, in a hospital setting. If the tooth is impacted, an incision is made in the gum tissue and the tissue is turned back so the tooth can be seen, If bone is covering the tooth, it may need to be removed in order to expose and extract the tooth. The tooth may be removed whole, or in some cases it may be cut into sections, and each section is then individually removed. Usually the surgical procedure will take about an hour, although this varies according to each case. After surgery you will spend some time "in recovery" before going home. In most cases normal activity can be resumed within a few days depending on the degree of impaction and the number of teeth removed. |
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