Why Remove Wisdom Teeth?

• Wisdom teeth are molars that usually emerge from the gums between the ages of 17 and 25. Problems, however, are common with wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth generally need to be removed when they are impacted because they become trapped in your jaw and are unable to emerge through the gums. This makes wisdom teeth impossible to grow into the mouth and may cause severe pain, misalignment of the jaw and movement of the teeth. If you have impacted wisdom teeth, your orthodontist or dentist will most likely recommend they be removed. He will send you to an oral surgeon, who will make the final decision about removal. Sometimes all four wisdom teeth are removed, and other times a decision is made for each tooth. The more teeth that are removed, the more complicated and expensive the surgical process.
  
  

Preparing for Removal

• Your oral surgeon will examine X-rays taken by your dentist or orthodontist, or take X-rays of his own. He will feel inside your mouth to determine if your teeth are impacted and how close they are to the surface of your gums. Sometimes emergency surgery needs to be done when the gums are infected or the tooth is already rupturing the surface of the gums incorrectly. Other wisdom teeth surgeries can be planned during a break from work or school to fit your schedule. The recovery time is approximately one to two weeks, so you will need some flexibility with your schedule.
  
  

During Surgery

• Surgery can be done in an oral surgeon's office or in the hospital, usually with general anesthesia. If the wisdom tooth is not impacted or has already come above the surface, the surgery can be done in the dentist's office with local anesthesia. The oral surgeon will make an incision in the gum to reach impacted wisdom teeth. The surgeon may be able to remove the teeth using dental tools, but more impacted teeth may need to be broken into pieces and removed one-by-one. The most severe surgeries may involve removing pieces of the jaw along with the tooth to get every piece out. The surgeon will then stitch the jaw up and pack the area with gauze to stop the bleeding. The surgery will take anywhere from one to four hours depending on how impacted the teeth are and how many teeth are being removed.