Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to develop and appear in the mouth. They are called "wisdom teeth" because they usually appear during a person's late teens or early twenties, which has been called the "age of wisdom." The normal position of wisdom teeth is behind the upper and lower second molars (12 year molars).Many times the jaws of modern humans are not normally large enough to accommodate the four wisdom teeth. This is why wisdom teeth cause more problems than any other teeth in the mouth.

In fact, for nine out of ten people, at least one wisdom tooth remains underneath the gum due to lack of space in the mouth.

The Impacted Wisdom Tooth
When a wisdom tooth is blocked from erupting or coming into the mouth normally, it is termed "impacted." Thus the term impacted only means that which has not or can not erupt into functional position. A tooth may be only partially impacted, meaning it grows in crooked and breaks through the gum only partially, or it may fail to break through at all and thus remains totally impacted. Serious problems can develop from partially impacted teeth, such as pain, infection, and crowding of, or damage to, adjacent teeth. For totally impacted teeth, more serious problems can occur if the sac that surround the impacted tooth fills with fluid and enlarge to form a cyst. This cystic formation may hollow out the jaw and result in permanent damage to the adjacent teeth, jawbone and nerves.

If the cyst is not treated, a tumor may develop from the walls of the cyst and a more involved surgical procedure may be required for removal. Many problems with wisdom teeth can occur with few or no symptoms, so there can be damage without your knowledge. It is important to know that, as wisdom teeth develop, their roots become longer and the jawbone more dense. Thus, as a person grows older, it becomes more difficult to remove wisdom teeth and complications can become more severe. In addition, as people age there is an increased chance of the symptoms mentioned above. For these reasons, we recommend the removal of wisdom teeth even if they are not yet causing obvious problems, particularly for young adults. Examination is carried out to determine if the teeth do not have a chance to erupt into FUNCTIONAL POSITION.

This office feels strongly that the patient's should have a consultation prior to any surgery so that adequate examination and preparation can be obtained. In addition to clinical examination, x-rays will be taken to reveal the impacted tooth (if present) and reveal such important things as curved roots, proximity of the tooth roots to nerves, and other vital surgical information that cannot be determined by visually inspecting the mouth. A complete health/medical history will be taken at that time, with particular attention to allergies, medications or health problems that might affect surgery and/or administration of anesthesia. The patient will be examined for any current infection and swellings and all questions will be answered. To this end, our office has video material that aids in understanding not only the problem but also information as to how the procedure can be accomplished. After careful evaluation of the patient, a mutual plan of treatment is carried out. Prior to surgery, and usually during the consultation visit, medications and postoperative care will be discussed. This will be reemphasized following the procedure and all patient's will receive both verbal and written postoperative instructions.

Payment for Services
At least partial reimbursement for wisdom teeth removal is often available through various dental or medical insurance benefit plans. However, the surgery fee is your responsibility, regardless of how much your insurance covers. Before surgery, read you dental and or medical insurance policy or check with your insurance representative concerning your coverage. As stated before, our office staff is quite willing to give assistance in this matter. Please feel free to discuss payment with the office manager so that both parties are in agreement.

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