Wisdom Tooth/Third Molar

We have four wisdom teeth or third molars . Two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw. Wisdom teeth usually start erupting after 18 yrs of age. Since they erupt after completion of jaw growth, they usually don’t have sufficient place to erupt. So, many times they remain as trouble maker sin our mouth. These partially erupted or un erupted wisdom teeth are called impacted wisdom teeth.

Complications of wisdom teeth:

  • Pain while erupting
  • Swelling of gums adjacent to the tooth
  • Tooth decay due to difficulty in cleaning
  • Damage to adjacent permanent molar due to mal-positioning of the wisdom tooth
  • Chronic cheek biting
  • Severe infections spreading to cheek and neck in case of long term negligence
  • Difficulty in mouth opening due to pain and swelling
  • Development of dentigerous cyst (a fluid filled cavity in the bone) which grows at the expense of the bone

DIAGNOSIS:

An x ray will reveal the position of the impacted wisdom teeth helping us understand the difficulty of removing it and looking for any asoociated cyst.

TREATMENT:

  1. Operculectomy:
    When the wisdom tooth is straight in position , the gums around the erupting tooth swells and causes pain and food lodgement. In such cases the adjacent gum tissue can be romoved under local anaesthesia. This will enable pain free eruption of the tooth.
  2. Surgial removal of Impacted Wisdom Tooth
    Mal positioned, troublesome impacted wisdom tooth should be removed surgically by removing small amount of bone around the tooth. It is a complication free proceedure.
  3. Dentegerous cyst removal
    Dentegerous cyst is a fluid filed sax that develops around the impacted (unerupted tooth) damaging the bone. These cysts usually do not show any symptoms. Untill they are infected or very large. Dentegerous cyst should be treated by surgically removing the lining and contents of the cyst. The entire proceedure is done from within the mouth . So there is no chance of scar on face.

Myths about Wisdom Tooth:

01. Wisdom tooth removal is harmful to the brain

This tooth is called wisdom tooth only because it erupts after growth is complete. It doesn’nt have any connection to brain or eye.

02. Un erupted wisdom tooth slaps inside the jaw for ever

No , even if the tooth is lying submerged completely in the bone, it still carries a significant risk of cyst formation and infection. So unrouted wisdom tooth should never be left untreated.

03.Jaw becomes week after surgical removal of wisdom tooth

Only 1mm to 2 mm bone around the tooth is removed during the proceedure. So there are no chances of jaw bone weakening. How ever in case of deeply submerged large teeth or in case of large dentigerous cyst , adequate precautions will be taken during and after surgery to avoid weekening of the jaw.

Need Help?

FAQ's

This proceedure can be done under local or general anaesthesia depending on the difficulty of extraction. So it is definetly pain free proceedure.

Yes, may be a little discomfort will be there for a couple of days. But having food is not a problem.

All four unerupted wisdom teeth can be removed in one appointment without any complications either under local or general anaesthesia depending on the condition of the tooth and patient’s choice.

No, properly treated dentigerous cyst does not reccur. Bone forms in the cyst cavity within 8 months to 1 year which can be confirmed on x ray.

Above 18 yrs , when ever an impacted wisdom tooth is identified , it is better to get it extractedat the earliest.

No. there can be other unerupted teeth also. But they are not as common as wisdom teeth. When identified any unerupted tooth should be removed or carefully observed for any pathologic changes.

Women wishing to concieve or undergoing treatments for infertility issues should consider elective removal of wisdom tooth as they might trouble them during pregnancy or other related treatments.

Also students travelling abroad usually prefer getting their wisdom teeth removed as the treatment is very expensive there and many times they will have to mange pain with medicines untill they return to india.