The average adult has thirty-two teeth by age eighteen; sixteen teeth on the top and sixteen teeth on the bottom. Each tooth in the mouth has a specific name and function. The teeth in the front of the mouth (incisors, canine and bicuspid teeth) are ideal for grasping and biting food into smaller pieces, while the back teeth, or molar teeth, are used to grind food up into a consistency suitable for swallowing. However, the average mouth is made to accommodate only 28 teeth. It can be extremely painful when 32 teeth try to fit in a mouth that holds only 28 teeth. The four other teeth are your Third Molars, also known as Wisdom Teeth. Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. These poorly positioned, impacted teeth can cause many problems. When they are partially erupted, the opening around the tooth allows bacteria to grow and may cause an infection. The result can be swelling, stiffness, pain and illness. The pressure from the erupting wisdom tooth may move other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of teeth. The most serious problems occur when tumors or cysts form around the impacted wisdom tooth, resulting in the destruction of the jaw bone and healthy teeth. Removal of the offending impacted tooth or teeth usually resolves these problems. Early removal is recommended to avoid such future problems and to decrease the surgical risk involved with the procedure. With an oral examination and x-rays of the mouth, Drs. Wolf and Dohse can evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth and predict if there may be future or present problems. Studies have shown that early evaluation and treatment result in a superior outcome for the patient. Patients are generally first evaluated in the mid-teenage years by your dentist, orthodontist or by Drs. Wolf and Dohse. All outpatient surgery is performed under proper anesthesia. Drs. Wolf and Dohse have the training, license and experience to provide various types of anesthesia to make procedures more comfortable. These services are provided in an environment of optimum safety, utilizing modern monitoring equipment and staff experienced in anesthesia techniques.
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When they align properly, and gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this does not generally happen. The extraction of Wisdom teeth is necessary when your wisdom teeth are prevented from properly erupting within the mouth. They may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum, even remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to erupt successfully.
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