Wisdom Teeth

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. 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 hold only 28 teeth. It can be extremely painful when 32 teeth try to fit in a mouth that holds only 28 teeth. These four other teeth are your Third Molars, also known as wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. When they align properly, and the 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.

These poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause many problems. When they are partially erupted, the opening around the tooth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually cause an infection. The result is swelling, jaw 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 problem occurs when tumors or cysts form around the impacted wisdom tooth, resulting in the destruction of the jaw bone and healthy teeth.

Two separate recent studies have shown that the potential risk developing cysts or benign tumors around impacted teeth is between 32% to 35%. The latest, most accurate scientific studies indicate that the incidence of problems with wisdom teeth during one's lifetime is in excess of 65%. The chance of developing significant periodontal disease around erupted (already visible in your mouth) wisdom teeth, over age 25 is at least 25%. This incidence is higher than for anywhere else in the mouth and can contribute to periodontal disease at other distant sites in the mouth.

Removal of the offending impacted tooth or teeth usually resolves these problems. Early removal, usually in the teenage years, is critical 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, our doctors 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 their dentist, orthodontist or by our doctors.

All surgery is performed under proper anesthesia. Drs. Bianchi, Nordone & Kanter 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 administration of all phases of anesthesia.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call one of our offices: King of Prussia (610) 265-2150, Bryn Mawr (610) 527-3110, Collegeville (610) 409-9660, Philadelphia (215) 557-0557