Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Erupting typically during someone’s late teens or early adulthood are the wisdom teeth. These teeth are the last one’s found in someones mouth when fully or partially erupted and are the 8th tooth back. Wisdom tooth extraction is a common dental procedure that is indicated for a variety of reasons:

Insufficient Space: Crowding and insufficient space in the mouth and jaw is available to accommodate the wisdom teeth. These teeth can become impacted, where they cannot emerge from the gum line. In such situations, impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain, discomfort, and can often lead to an infection.

Misalignment: Wisdom teeth may not grow in straight and be in positions that can lead to crowding or shifting of other teeth. In some situations this misalignment leads to the overall bite and the poor occlusion of the rest of the teeth.

Infection and Gum Disease: As a result of wisdom teeth being at the back of the mouth, they can be challenging to floss and brush properly. Poor cleaning of them will result in these teeth or any teeth prone to bacterial growth, which will lead to gum inflammation, cavities and/or infection.

Cysts and Tumors: Sometimes wisdom teeth can develop cysts or tumours around them, especially when they are impacted. Such growth can cause result in damage to nearby teeth, bone, and nerves.

Pain and Discomfort: Even when wisdom teeth are not impacted, they still can result in pain and cause discomfort as they emerge. Such pain on eruption is the result of pressure on surrounding tissues and may be worsened by inflammation.

Difficulty in Oral Hygiene: Being the last teeth in the mouth, and being far back, cleaning and maintaining proper oral hygiene around wisdom teeth can be challenging. As a result, the buildup of plaque and tartar will lead to cavities and gum disease.

Preventive Measure: Dentists will often recommend removing wisdom teeth before they cause problems. The age at which this is done is often done in one’s late teens or early twenties. With the roots being less developed, makes extraction easier and reducing potential complications. Moreover, healing is much better the younger a person is when such a procedure is done.

Orthodontic Treatment: Often wisdom teeth are extracted for individuals undergoing orthodontic treatment (braces) to prevent them from interfering with the alignment achieved by braces.

Aesthetic Concerns: For some people, misaligned wisdom teeth or partially emerged can cause aesthetic issues if they are visible when smiling.

At Accord Dental, we do routine wisdom tooth extractions. A proper exam and required x-rays are always warranted before any extraction is contemplated. Proper medical and dental history are important, along with the patient’s comfort when extracting teeth in our office. Sometimes we refer out to clinics that are more adept with complicated cases and can provide more patient comfort with sedation services.