Oral Surgery/ Wisdom Teeth removal

Third molars -also known as wisdom teeth-, are the last set of permanent adult teeth to form and ascend into the mouth. Third molars will usually come in the late teenage years and should be fully developed by about 23 years of age. This was assumed in the past to be the “age of wisdom,” which is where the name wisdom teeth came from.

In most cases, an adult jaw is not big enough to accommodate wisdom teeth and they remain under the gums. These “impacted” teeth are not fully exposed in the mouth because they are covered by tissue or bone. As humans evolved and our cranial size grew, our jaw size grew smaller and limited the space to accommodate wisdom teeth. X-rays can frequently predict if impacted teeth will become a problem later in life.

Impacted wisdom teeth can produce constant pressure that can cause damage to adjacent teeth. Patients may not feel pain due to this “pressure” until damage has developed. Pressure can push other teeth out of alignment and may require orthodontic treatment. Headaches, earaches, and general pain in the face, neck, throat, and mouth can all occur if impacted wisdom teeth are not removed. Cysts than can destroy bone surrounding adjacent molars can also form around impacted teeth. In some extremely rare cases of untreated cysts, tumors can develop and may require extensive surgery to have them removed.

Extraction surgery is easier for younger patients because the roots of the wisdom teeth are not yet fully developed and bone is less dense. Younger patients also tend to heal quicker, and healing potential is highest in patients under 30 years old.