Wisdom teeth can cause a lot of discomfort and pain especially as they are located at the most difficult part of your mouth to clean.
Management of wisdom teeth normally consists of an initial panoramic x-ray to assess the position of your third molars often referred to as wisdom teeth.
At Carlton Dental Care we have an onsite OPG machine so you can have the required film taken on the day of your check-up. From this image, it can be determined whether third molar removal is indicated.
Most cases can be treated at our surgery under local anaesthetic. More complex cases may require referral to an oral surgeon for treatment under general anaesthetic. In the situation where specialist referral is needed, pain-relieving medications or oral antibiotics can be prescribed as an interim measure.
In most cases, it is beneficial to have wisdom teeth removed at a young age to prevent unwanted issues with other teeth.
Problems that can arise from keeping third molars include:
- Cyst formation
- Misaligned, crooked, tipped teeth, dental arch crowding
- Tooth decay on the otherwise healthy second molars next to the third molars
- Pain from gum infections and difficulty cleaning the site where wisdom teeth don’t fully erupt
- Weakening of the jaw bone due to bone loss from infections
- Restricted jaw movement