Everything you need to know about wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to develop and they appear in the mouth between 17 and 25 years old, during the “age of wisdom.” When a tooth does not fully emerge in the mouth and does not have the potential to do so, it is called an impacted tooth.

In general, impacted teeth are unable to fully erupt because there is not enough room in the mouth.

Problems associated with impacted teeth:

  • Crowding of teeth
  • Receding gums
  • Tooth decay
  • Damaging adjacent teeth or roots
  • Pain and infection
  • Cyst formation and pathology of the jawbone that can damage nerves and adjacent teeth.

When is the best time to remove wisdom teeth?

Many people believe that they do not have to worry about their wisdom teeth as long as they are not in pain. However, the absence of pain does not mean the absence of pathology and disease.

Research suggests that bacteria surrounding wisdom teeth may contribute to systemic health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and other health-related problems.

Young adults have wisdom teeth with incomplete root formation, which makes removing these teeth relatively uncomplicated.

As wisdom teeth grow, their roots lengthen and may become too close to sensory nerves that run through the lower jaw. In these cases, complications are more likely to occur.

In general, removing wisdom teeth early on in the patient’s life results in an easier, quicker healing process.

Therefore the best time for a patient to have his or her wisdom teeth removed is as a young adult.

Consultation before surgery

We will go over your allergy, medication and medical history.

We will discuss thoroughly the procedure with you and we will tell you what you can expect.

A clinical and radiologic exam is also performed.

Most wisdom teeth extractions are done routinely in our office with little or no discomfort under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation.

After surgery

Before you leave our office, you will receive specific instructions to follow over the next few days.

You will be asked to eat soft food and you will be prescribed medication to make you more comfortable. You should be able to resume normal activities within a short period of time.