Treatments « back to treatments main page
Anxious Patients | Dental Emergencies | Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Wisdom Teeth is the term used to refer to the third molar teeth. These teeth are the very last to emerge behind the twelve year old molars. Wisdom Teeth usually begin to emerge when a person is between 15 to 20 years of age, however this does vary between individuals.
Just as children experience discomfort when teeth erupt, so too can young adults. The discomfort is usually an annoying pain sometimes felt as pressure. This discomfort does not generally last for very long and is usually easily controlled with over the counter pain relief medication.
Sometimes as the wisdom teeth emerge, a small infection can occur in the gum immediately surrounding the tooth. This infection is called 'pericoronitis' and is a result of plaque and bacteria becoming trapped between the tooth and the surrounding gum.
If the wisdom teeth do not have enough room to erupt or if the infection is a constant occurrence, we may suggest the removal of the offending teeth.
The method used for extraction depends greatly on the situation for each particular tooth and person. Some teeth can be simply removed under local anaesthesia like any other extraction. Impacted (trapped) teeth will often require a minor surgical procedure to lift the tooth out of the surrounding bone and gum. Surgery may be performed under local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia.
