Removal of a troublesome wisdom tooth is a very common procedure in dentistry, however this procedure is often left too late and can cause serious complications. In this article, we explain what to pay attention to and why intervening early is important. Older adults may require longer procedure and/or face complications.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth is the most common term behind third set of molars. These teeth do not erupt through the gums usually until people are in their late teens or early 20s. There are four wisdom teeth in total but not every person has all of them fully formed.
What are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Sometimes there is not enough space at the back of the jaw for a wisdom tooth to come through, so this can become “impacted” which is a fancy dental term to say that the tooth is partially or fully trapped in your gums in different positions and angles. Some impacted third molars will never cause any issues, they just stay buried in their position. However, other impacted wisdom teeth may cause sever issues, including infection in the surrounding gum tissue.
3d render of teeth with wisdom horizontal impaction over white background. Concept of different types of wisdom teeth impactions. Source: iStock
Here are Some Issues Troublesome Wisdom Teeth Can Create
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause the following issues:
- Pain: in the neighbouring teeth caused by the pressure of the wisdom tooth, or cause by an infection.
- Infection: particularly at the top of the tooth when this is about to erupt.
- Cyst: this is a sac of fluid that can form around the wisdom tooth (often unerupted) and may displace it. It may destroy the bone and damage other surrounding teeth and gums.
- Ulcer: this can happen when a wisdom tooth in the upper jawbone pushes sideways out of the gum and rubbing against he inside of the cheek.
- Resorption Cavity: this happens when an impacted tooth pushes towards and hits the molar next to it causing bone damage to both teeth. Luckily this is not very common.
- A food trap: when food becomes trapped when food becomes trapped between a wisdom tooth and its adjacent molar increasing the risk of tooth decay.
What is the Best Age to Remove Your Wisdom Teeth?
Removing the wisdom teeth, particularly, if any pain has been noticed, should be done as early as possible. Having such problematic teeth removed between ages of 17 and 25 is recommended because the roots of the wisdom teeth have not formed totally, and the bone surrounding the tooth is softer making the extraction process easier.
Indications for Early Wisdom Teeth Extraction
The surgical extraction of wisdom teeth is indicated (recommended) for the following reasons:
- The concerned tooth or gum area has started to cause pain
- There is not enough room in the mouth for the tooth to push through
- Orthodontic work (braces) may be needed as space is needed
- When the other molars around the impacted tooth need to be protected
- Last, but one of the most important reasons is when the impacted wisdom tooth in the lower jaw is close to major nerves like the inferior alveolar nerve or the lingual nerve which may complicate the extraction process.
Your dentist or oral surgeon may need to take x-rays to determine the need to remove wisdom teeth.
Delaying wisdom teeth removal is often regretted when not occurred in the teenage years.
The Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure
Usually, a general dentist will refer patients to an oral surgeon for wisdom teeth extraction procedures. The surgeon will use local anaesthetic, general anaesthetic, or sedation therapy to make the patient comfortable depending on the individual clinical case. During the procedure the surgeon will then make an incision (cut) to open the gums and a small portion of the bone to be able to extract the impacted tooth. The tooth may have to be divided into small sections to be able to be extracted safely. Lastly, the incision is closed with stitches that will dissolve in a few days or may need a follow-up appointment to be removed.
Why Chose Our Specialised Oral Surgeons?
The Sunshine Coast Oral, Facial, and Implant Specialists (SCOFIS) is an advanced oral surgery clinic. Dr Trent Lincoln and Dr Andrew Higgins are highly experienced and highly qualified Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons, who are used to treat even the most difficult cases through referrals from general dentists. They are both:
- Specialists Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons (RACDS)
- Members of the Australian & New Zealand Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS)
- Members of the Australian Medical Association (AMA)
- Members of the Australian Dental Association (ADA)
If you are in the Sunshine Coast area, and are considering the removal of wisdom teeth, call our dental team today at 07 5406 0586 or email reception@sunshinecoastofis.com.au to ask for an appointment and discuss the best course of action for your needs.