Wisdom Teeth Removal

Wisdom teeth removal

In most people, wisdom teeth only emerge partially or grow sideways, causing a wide variety of complications. They may even remain trapped underneath the gum and bone, being unable to break through into the mouth and causing a lot of pain. Most people will need to have their wisdom teeth removed to prevent other dental issues from forming.

Ashfield Dental Centre’s Dr Eylul Farahani has extracted thousands of wisdom teeth for her patients for over 12 years. She is an experienced, gentle and friendly dental surgeon who works with plenty of qualified dental and medical anaesthetists in Westmead and Sydney Dental Hospitals to make your wisdom teeth removal safe, easy and comfortable through sleep dentistry.

Wisdom teeth explained

Wisdom teeth are the third and final molars to appear in your mouth. They generally appear in your late teens or early twenties. Nine out of ten people have at least one impacted (blocked from breaking through the gum) wisdom tooth.

Most people don’t have enough room for these extra teeth in their mouths, which can cause overcrowding, infection, and a host of other dental concerns. Luckily, wisdom teeth aren’t needed for you to speak and eat normally. Therefore, they can be removed with little negative consequence.

What if they don't hurt?

Just because you aren’t in pain at the moment doesn’t mean that nothing is wrong, or that your wisdom teeth won’t put you in pain later on. Your dentist will never recommend that you undergo unnecessary treatments – if they’ve recommended that you have your wisdom teeth removed, it’s in your best interest to do so.

What happens if they're not removed?

Not everyone will need their wisdom teeth removed. Wisdom teeth in most people don’t grow correctly, which can lead to a host of complications. These include:

Infection

in your gums, wisdom teeth, and surrounding teeth.

‘Erosion cavities’

can form if a wisdom tooth pushes up against a regular molar, which can severely damage both the regular and wisdom teeth

Ulcers

can form if the tooth pushes sideways from the gum and rubs on your inner cheek.

cysts

are uncommon around wisdom teeth which don’t erupt, but can cause displacement of teeth and bone destruction when they do develop

Food Traps

can form between your wisdom tooth and the molar next to it, which can cause cavities and bad breath.

Alignment

can be affected. Most people’s mouths don’t have the room needed for wisdom teeth, which forces the teeth around them to shift. Any orthodontic treatment you've had before your wisdom teeth erupted could be affected if they aren’t removed.

How are they removed?

Your dentist will often be able to remove your wisdom teeth in the chair with a local anaesthetic. However, a more complex surgery under general anaesthetic may need to be performed if the teeth are severely impacted or beneath the bone. This will incur additional costs, which your dentist will discuss with you.

After they’re sure you won’t be in pain, your dentist will make an incision in your gum to expose the wisdom tooth. The incision will be widened enough to give your dentist clear access and your teeth will then be removed through the opening.

Once your wisdom teeth are removed, your dentist will stitch the incisions closed (although this isn’t always necessary) and place gauze over the extraction site to ease the bleeding.

After the procedure, your dentist will give you take-home care instructions. You’ll need to make sure you follow your dentist’s instructions to make sure the healing process goes to plan. A check-up appointment may be scheduled a few weeks from your surgery date to make sure your mouth is healing correctly.

The decision to remove your wisdom teeth needs to be made in consultation with a licensed dentist who is highly experienced in this area. Our team of dedicated professionals at Ashfield Dental Centre will work with you to help you make the best possible decisions about your wisdom teeth and answer any questions you may have about the procedure. To book a consultation, contact our Sydney clinic.

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