With many years of experience in the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, you can be sure you’re in safe hands at Mosman Fine Dental. Our dentists understand that having teeth removed/oral surgery can be daunting. So, we prioritise maximising your comfort and putting your fears to rest, from start to finish.
Wisdom teeth, also known as 3rd molars, are usually your last teeth to erupt between 17 and 25 years of age. That is if they do erupt at all. Wisdom teeth are found on the top and bottom of your mouth, at the back of your jaw.
In about three quarters of the population, there is not enough space in one’s mouth to allow their wisdom teeth the chance to erupt and function well. In cases like these, the wisdom teeth become ‘impacted’, stuck in a less than ideal position. Other than pain, swelling and the promotion of decay, here are some other reasons why we recommend the removal of impacted wisdom teeth:
- Damage to neighbouring teeth: The teeth that are in front of your wisdom teeth (2nd molars) can be negatively affected by impacted wisdom teeth. For example, your 2nd molars could be more prone to cavities, gum disease as well as potential bone loss.
- Risk of infection: Impacted wisdom teeth can result in more food and bacteria becoming trapped under the gum line than usual. This can lead to infection known as pericoronitis, which is both painful and dangerous if the infection becomes septic.
- Cysts: Whilst this is not the most common consequence of impacted wisdom teeth, the fluid sac surrounding your unerupted wisdom tooth can expand painlessly forming a ‘dentigerous cysts’. These are not cancerous growths but can still dissolve significant parts of your jaw bone around the tooth, even leading to pathological fractures. .
- Overcrowding of teeth: Impacted wisdom teeth place a lot of extra pressure on your other teeth. In susceptible individuals, this may result in movement amongst your teeth and create misalignment.
The Process
Dr Aden Tran is highly experienced in this field of dentistry. Along with Dr AJ Ambikairajah, they perform wisdom teeth removal regularly in the comfort and safety of our practice. This is usually done using sleep dentistry.
- The process begins with an initial consultation that may consist of a 2D or even 3D jaw scan. The scan is to assess whether your wisdom teeth need removal or not. It is important as part of our consent process that you understand all the advantages and risks of surgery so you can make the best choices for yourself.
- If your wisdom teeth do need removing, you will be booked in for their removal and provided with all the pre-treatment information you need.
- Generally, the removal of your wisdom teeth will be done with conscious IV sedation. This means you can be completely unaware during the procedure! Plus you can be discharged on the same day without the inconvenience of a hospital stay.
- Other options may include going to hospital to have the surgery done under a general anaesthetic. Occasionally you may even elect to have it done under local anaesthetic alone in very easy cases.
After Care
At Mosman Fine Dental, you don’t go any part of the process alone. We’re here for you, every step of the way with our care extending long beyond the procedure itself.
Before you go home after your wisdom teeth removal, you will be provided with detailed post-operative instructions and scripts for the medication you may need to assist with managing post-operative pain. We usually review you in a fortnight to ensure your recovery has gone to plan.
Each case of wisdom teeth removal is up for review after about a fortnight. This is to ensure that you’re happy and comfortable and that your recovery is tracking as it should be.
Unsure about whether your wisdom teeth need to go? We can help you figure it out. Contact our friendly team today!