Gain Some Wisdom On Wisdom Teeth

By: Dr. Jeffery K. Bressman, DDS

What are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth, officially known as third molars, are usually the lastteeth to develop. They are located in the very back of your mouth, nextto your second (or twelve year) molars. They usually completedevelopment between the ages of 15 and 20, a time traditionallyassociated with the onset of maturity and the attainment of wisdom.

What Is An Impacted Tooth?

Although most people develop and grow 32 permanent, adult teeth (16in the upper and 16 in the lower jaw), many do not have enough roomin their mouth for all of these teeth to completely erupt into the mouthto become fully functional and cleansable teeth. When this occurs theyare said to be impacted, indicating their inability to erupt into analignment which will allow them to be able to function in the chewingprocess. There are several types of impactions: soft tissue, partial bony andcomplete bony. This classification is based on the relationship of thewisdom tooth to the surrounding bone and gum tissue.

What is The Best Age To Have Them Removed?

In some patients it is as early as 13 or 14, whereas in others it may notbe until 17 or 18 years of age. In general younger patients heal fasterand more predictably and have fewer complications than olderpatients. It is generally recommended that you be seen for a

consultation before it is determined if you will benefit from wisdomtooth removal. A special x-ray of your mouth and jaws is sometimesneeded to help determine how much room you have, if any, for yourwisdom teeth to erupt.

Why Should I Have Impacted Teeth Removed?

If you do not have enough room in your mouth for your third molars toerupt and they become impacted, a number of problems can arise. These problems can include infection, damage to the adjacent teeth,acceleration of gum disease, and damage to the jawbone by cystformation. These problems tend to occur with increasing frequency aspatients get older.

What If I Don’t Have Them Removed in My Teenage Years?

Many people, especially in years past, were told to take a “wait andsee” approach to having their wisdom teeth removed. The problemwith this approach is that if it is necessary to remove wisdom teeth inyour thirties, forties, fifties, or beyond, it can be more difficult for youas the patient. The post-operative course is usually prolonged andthere is a higher complication rate. Treating these complications can bemore difficult than with a younger patient. If you do not have yourimpacted wisdom teeth removed in your teenage years or early in yourtwenties and they are completely impacted in bone, we sometimesadvise waiting until or unless a localized problem (such as cystformation or localized gum disease and bone loss) develops and thentreat the affected area only.

What Happens On The Day They’re Removed?

Because most people prefer to be unaware of the experience whenthey have their wisdomteeth removed, you will probably decide to be