Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to emerge, or erupt, from the jaw. They are your third set of molars and, if healthy, should be left alone. In many patients, however, there are problems with the wisdom teeth. The wisdom teeth need to be removed (extracted) if the conditions are serious.

Wisdom teeth are best extracted if any of the following conditions are present:

• Impacted wisdom teeth damaging nearby second molars
• Crowding resulting in twisted or misaligned teeth
• Cysts forming due to impaction, causing bone loss or infection.

Procedures necessary for extraction depend upon the patient and the circumstances. Dr. Brian Steele will assess the health of your wisdom teeth during your regular dental visits and advise you accordingly. Panoramic x-rays, revealing the entire mouth at once, are very useful in diagnosing troublesome wisdom teeth and providing recommendations for treatment.

With local anesthesia and sedation, removal of the wisdom teeth takes about one hour. Some patients delay the procedure because their jaw “doesn’t hurt right now.” Your dentist, however, can help prevent greater damage that will likely come in the future. In addition, the younger the patient, the faster the bone and gums heal from the procedure. So be wise and do not procrastinate when it comes to wisdom tooth extraction!