Wisdom Teeth

Adults can have up to 32 teeth. The four wisdom teeth are the last to come through right at the very back of the mouth. They usually appear when you are between 17 and 25, although sometimes they appear many years later.

Most people have enough room in their mouth to accommodate four wisdom teeth. In most cases they come through into a useful position and cause no more problems than any other tooth. Often there will be some slight discomfort as they come though, but this is only temporary and will disappear once the tooth is fully in position.

However, for certain people, there is only enough space in the mouth to accommodate 28 teeth so problems arise when the extra four wisdom teeth try to erupt. If there is not enough room the wisdom tooth will get stuck against the tooth in front of it. This will leave the wisdom tooth at an angle - this will be described by the dentist as "impacted".

Health wisdom teeth	Impacted wisdom tooth

If part of the wisdom tooth has appeared through the gum while the other part is still covered, the gum may become sore and perhaps swollen. This is because food particles and bacteria can collect under the gum edge in an area which is difficult to clean effectively.

By taking an x-ray, the dentist will be able to see whether there is enough room for the tooth to come through into a useful position. If there is, he/she will advise you on how to deal with the temporary problem by using mouthwashes, special cleaning methods and sometimes antibiotics.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

• When it is clear that the wisdom teeth will not be able to come through into a useful position because there is not enough room and they are causing some pain or discomfort
• If they have only partly erupted and are decayed - such teeth are more prone to decay as they are difficult to clean as thoroughly as other teeth
• If the wisdom tooth "overgrows", thereby causing problems. This can happen if the lower wisdom tooth has been removed or is impacted and cannot erupt. As the upper tooth has no tooth to bite against, it comes down too far
• If they are painful

In certain difficult cases your dentist may feel it advisable to have the extraction(s) carried out by a clinician experienced in oral surgery. Our associate practice, Cedar Clinic, is staffed and equipped to handle these more complex extractions.