Wisdom teeth or third molars, as they are usually called generally begin to erupt between the ages of 17 to 26.
A person typically has four wisdom teeth. However, not everyone has all four. They vary in number from 2 to 4 very rarely a person may have 5; this extra tooth is called a supernumerary.
Occasionally wisdom teeth may not erupt at all or they may be completely absent.
Since wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth, often there isnt enough space after the jaw has reached maximum growth and they are frequently impacted or partially erupted.
Wisdom teeth are evaluated by oral examination and x-rays (usually a panoramic x-ray). They are evaluated based on their current situation as well as the likelihood of causing future problems. Being the last tooth in the mouth, they are located in an area of the mouth which is often difficult to keep clean and maintain through brushing and flossing..
Thus leading to food stagnation and eventual problems like dental decay and sometimes periodontal defects. Resulting in pain in the back part of the jaw, ear ache, sore throat or pain in the side of the face. If left untreated the infection could cause the adjacent teeth to get damaged as well.
The most common condition affecting wisdom teeth is pericoronitis. It could happen when the tooth is trying to erupt, but has not yet broken through the gums or when the tooth has erupted or is impacted. Such an infection is felt as swelling and pain around the area. Usually this is a warning sign of an infection.
Based on an individual bases, not all wisdom teeth are considered important for occlusion. If the wisdom teeth need extraction, the surgery may be carried out by a general dentist or by an oral surgeon, depending on the complexity of the operation. Whether a local or general anesthetic is used also depends to a large part on the difficulty of the operation. The addition of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) can be very helpful when local anesthetic alone is used.
Dr. Arpan Patel has worked to build a practice that meets and exceeds your expectations of trusted, first-rate dental care. He focuses on bringing his patients only the best that dentistry has to offer by keeping himself and his staff informed on the latest advances and techniques in dentistry.
Dr. Patel who received his Doctoral of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania continues to stay up to date on the newest developments in dental care by taking numerous hours of continuing education courses.
He is a member of the American Dental Association, Pennsylvania Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. In addition, he is also a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic dentistry and the Dental Organization of Conscious Sedation.
by: Dr. Arpan Patel
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