Around 80% of young adults have problems with their wisdom teeth

What problems can occur with my wisdom teeth?

Most people don’t have enough space in their jaws for wisdom teeth to erupt. This causes them to be impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can either: stay stuck under the gums or partially push through the gum or they could  be trapped fully within the jawbone.

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause many problems which may include the following:

• Abscesses or other infections
• Cyst or tumour formation
• Periodontal disease – loss of bone around teeth
• Cavities – either on the wisdom tooth or on the back part of the second molar tooth
• Crowding of the surrounding teeth

If active disease sets in, your wisdom teeth will need to be removed. This can be confirmed by a proper examination done by your dentist or maxillo facial surgeon.

If my wisdom teeth DON’T hurt, does it mean that they are not a problem?

Not all wisdom teeth that have active disease will be painful. 

You may develop periodontal disease around wisdom teeth. This involves low-grade infection which causes inflammation and bone loss around your wisdom teeth and can also affect the second molar tooth. 

Cysts and tumours can also silently grow around wisdom teeth without you feeling any pain or discomfort until the cyst or tumour is quite large.

Cavities can also form simply because it can be very difficult to keep wisdom teeth clean.

How are wisdom teeth managed?

If your wisdom teeth have active disease or if there is a significant risk that they will be impacted, then they should be surgically removed.

They should ideally be removed while you are still young and healthy and before the roots are fully developed and also while the bone is relatively elastic. This results in shorter healing times and also less chance of complications. 

Removal of wisdom teeth in adults can be a little more difficult with slower recovery and more post-operative side effects compared to younger patients.

Wisdom teeth don’t always need to be removed. If there is enough space in your jaws and they erupt into a functional position and are easily accessible when brushing, they can be retained.

Nevertheless, you should always have periodic evaluations to make sure that no disease has set in.

What are the steps in treatment?

Evaluation –

This is done at your surgeons consulting rooms. Your surgeon will take a medical history and enquire about your symptoms. You will then have an x-ray or cone beam scan done to evaluate the position of your wisdom teeth. You will then have a discussion with your surgeon detailing the treatment required, possible alternatives, risks and complications as well as costs involved. You will have a chance to ask questions related to your potential treatment. 

Surgery –

This usually takes place as a “day surgery procedure”, which means that you will come in to theatre early in the morning and you will be discharged 2-3 hours after your surgery and you will recover at home. 

There are times when the procedure can take place in the doctors’ rooms under local anesthetic. This is usually if there is just a single tooth to remove and the procedure will be relatively uncomplicated. 

Recovery –

This usually takes around 7-10 days.

During the first 3 days after your surgery, your face will tend to swell up. During the next 3 days, the swelling will start to subside.

During this time you will eat softer foods such as soups, smoothies, soft pasta, mashed potato, bananas and soft fish.

It is important to use all your medication the way it has been prescribed and to keep your mouth clean to avoid post-operative infection. 

You will usually have a follow-up visit 1 week after your surgery. During this time, healing will be assessed and any concerns that you may have will be addressed. 

If you would like any further information please feel free to contact us or book an appointment.