Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth extractions are a surgical procedure to remove one or more of your wisdom teeth, the third and final set of molars to erupt in the back corners of your mouth. Dental on 8th is pleased to offer this common procedure.

Not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. Sometimes, there is enough room in your mouth, and wisdom teeth are able to erupt and function normally, with no issues. In other situations, wisdom teeth remain buried in bone and are unlikely to ever erupt. Other times still, the wisdom teeth never develop at all. For many however, there is simply not enough room to accommodate the wisdom teeth. If wisdom teeth are prevented from coming in properly inside of the mouth, this can result in pain, cavities, teeth crowding or even gum infections. Your dentist will make the recommendation of whether or not wisdom teeth need to be removed, based on your specific examination and x-rays, usually around ages 17-22.

• Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Because wisdom teeth are so far back in the mouth, they sometimes do not erupt normally. Sometimes they only partially erupt in the mouth, and become trapped in your gums or jawbone, which can be painful and may pose a risk for potential infection between overhanging gum tissue and the tooth itself. Impacted wisdom teeth is the most common reason for removal.
• They may press against your other teeth: This can cause pain and infection
• Your mouth is not big enough: Sometimes your jaw has no room for an extra set of molars.
• You have cavities or gum disease: you may not be able to reach your wisdom teeth with your toothbrush or dental floss.

Impacted wisdom teeth occur when there is not enough space in the dental arch for the teeth to erupt properly, and its growth is affected by bone, gum, or another tooth. This results in the tooth remaining fully submerged within the gum and bone. The type of impaction present depends on the angle at which the tooth lies. An impacted tooth may grow at an angle toward the next tooth (second molar), grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth, grow at a right angle to the other teeth (as if the wisdom tooth is “lying down” within the jawbone), or grow straight up or down like other teeth but stay trapped within the jawbone.

Impacted wisdom teeth are usually removed due to the issues they are causing, or because of possible issues that may arise in the future if they remain in the mouth. In many cases, it is not possible to see damage to wisdom teeth with the naked eye. It is necessary to take X-rays of the mouth in order to see what is going on underneath the gum, and to determine what type of extraction is required.

At Dental on 8th, we recommend early removal of impacted wisdom teeth to avoid further issues. If you are unsure whether you should get your wisdom teeth removed, please contact us and we will be happy to help you.