Wisdom Teeth

Known also as 3rdmolars, these are the teeth that are last to erupt in your mouth, usually sometime between the age of 13 and 18 years of age. Often wisdom teeth fail to erupt fully or are unstable in their erupted position. A panoramic radiograph (x-ray) is usually taken to visualize the extent of the roots, and the position of the teen in the jaw relative to nerves and blood vessels. Wisdom teeth that are not fully erupted are referred to as impacted, and often removal of these teeth is recommended treatment. Wisdom teeth that have not erupted may look like they can do little harm but depending on their position, these teeth may be susceptible to gum disease or decay or they may damage adjacent teeth. In people under the age of 20, wisdom teeth generally have less root development and so their removal has a lower incidence of surgical complications. Between the ages of 15 and 19, patients should have their wisdom teeth evaluated, and treatment decisions made. For people older than 25, it may be reasonable to only treat symptomatic wisdom teeth, as surgical complications increase in older patients.

Extraction is a minor surgical procedure, done under local anesthetic. If more than one tooth is being removed, or if anxiety about the procedure is high, an oral sedative may be helpful. In particularly complex extractions, referral to an Oral Surgeon may be the best option.