Wisdom Teeth and Dental Extractions

A wisdom tooth is the third molar in the dentition and may become impacted due to lack of space in the dental arch. Eruption of wisdom teeth may be prevented by gum, bone, another tooth or all three. Lack of space occurs because our jaws have become smaller through evolution and with preventative dentistry, good oral hygiene and diet, teeth are not lost due to decay as frequently as in the past.

Our dentists carefully evaluate the development, and subsequent eruption of wisdom teeth. Our dentists use only the best methods to safely and precisely extract the teeth.

There is always a risk that impacted wisdom teeth may cause problems at any age so removal of wisdom teeth may be advised as a preventative measure if the probability of problems is high. Post operative discomfort varies greatly due to the difficulty of the procedure and the individual and there are several anaesthetic options depending on the number and difficulty of wisdom teeth to be removed and patient medical conditions and preferences.

The most common reasons for removing wisdom teeth are:

• Decay
• Gum infection
• Pressure pain
• Orthodontic reasons
• Prosthetic reasons
• Cyst formation