Although extraction is always a last resort, there are situations where removal is the best treatment option. If your wisdom teeth are causing you problems, Wentworth Dental is pleased to offer safe, effective, and painless wisdom teeth removal. Let us help you on the road to optimal oral health!
Your SW Calgary Choice for Wisdom Tooth Extraction!
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Located in the very back of the mouth, wisdom teeth are the last and final set of molars to erupt, usually between the ages of 14-30, although some people never get their wisdom teeth. While many people experience no problems with their wisdom teeth and they grow in properly, for many others however, problems arise, and intervention is necessary to avoid more complications later on. If left untreated, problematic wisdom teeth can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and occlusion problems, all of which can cause severe pain and discomfort.
Why Might Wisdom Teeth Need to be Removed?
- Inadequate Space: Most often, wisdom teeth are extracted because there is simply not enough room in the mouth to accommodate them properly and allow them to grow in properly and become fully functional. This can cause extreme pain, cavities, teeth crowding, and gum injections
- Impacted Wisdom Teeth: If there is inadequate space and wisdom teeth grow diagonally or horizontally, they can eventually become impacted, or completely stuck, in an undesirable or potentially harmful position. Impacted wisdom teeth should never be left untreated. Consequences of untreated impacted wisdom teeth include:
- Damage to nearby teeth: Second molars (the teeth directly in front of the wisdom teeth) can be adversely affected by impacted wisdom teeth, resulting in tooth decay (cavities), periodontal disease (gum disease) and possible bone loss.
- Disease: Although uncommon, tumours and cysts can occur in areas surrounding impacted wisdom teeth.
- Infection: Food and bacteria can become trapped under the gum tissue, which could result in an infection. An injection can cause extreme pain and damage to the surrounding areas.
- Tooth Crowding: Some dental professionals believe that impacted wisdom teeth can put pressure on other teeth and cause them to become misaligned (crowded or twisted)
- Partial Eruption: If wisdom teeth erupt only partially in the mouth, this could pose a potential risk of infection between the overhanging gum tissue and the tooth itself.
How do I know if my wisdom teeth need to be removed?
Your dentist will make a recommendation based on your examination and x-rays, usually around the age of 17-22. Often, damage caused by wisdom teeth is not visible on the surface and therefore x-rays of the mouth are necessary to see what is going on underneath the gums and to determine what type of extraction is required. Symptoms indicating you likely require your wisdom teeth removed include:
- Pain
- Sensitive areas or swelling in the pack of the mouth
- Food and debris becomes trapped behind wisdom teeth
- Infection or gum disease (periodontal disease)
- Tooth decay in a partially erupted wisdom tooth
- Damage to a nearby bone
