Archive for the ‘ Wisdom Teeth ’ Category

WISDOM TEETH AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE

When wisdom teeth are removed at a younger age, the development of permanent periodontal problems is reduced significantly. It is easy to assess the potential problems with wisdom teeth at an early age – I recommend about age 15. It is an easier procedure all the way around and waiting increases the risks of irreversible […]

IMMEDIATE BONE GRAFTING OF WISDOM TOOTH SOCKETS

I have reported a number of times in the past how holding onto your third molar teeth leads to problems including periodontal disease on the adjacent teeth and can lead to bone loss on those teeth. In a recent article, the authors showed a procedure where they preemptively grafted the third molar sockets right at […]

COMPLICATION WITH RETENTION OF THIRD MOLARS

As an oral surgeon, I know that many people some anxiety about the wisdom tooth extraction procedure. But the consequences of avoiding wisdom tooth extraction if you need it can be serious. Some of these consequences involve chronic pain and others can mean a dramatic reduction in your oral health.

“DRY SOCKET” AND HORMONAL CHANGES

During menstruation, the hormonal changes cause a fragility in the uterine lining allowing for these tissues to slough. Other lining tissues of the body may also be affected at the same time. Healing sites, such as extraction sockets, can show this during the menstrual cycle leading to the loss of the normal healing tissues. This […]

Wisdom Tooth Extraction, Pain, and More

 “Wisdom comes with age.” This is a common saying. Wisdom is usually a welcome effect of aging. Wisdom teeth usually start causing problems at about the time that we “come of age,” thus the name. Learn more about the problems that necessitate wisdom tooth extraction. Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth? The third molars, or […]

Risks Associated With Wisdom Teeth and Pregnancy

Pregnancy can affect oral health, and so, it is advised that patients who are or who plan to become pregnant should be evaluated and followed closely from a dental standpoint in order to minimize dental problems during pregnancy. Increased Risk During Pregnancy In a recent study, the presence of wisdom teeth that have a continuity […]

Will Wisdom Teeth Make Other Teeth Shift?

Can wisdom teeth cause other teeth to move? One of the reasons for wisdom tooth extraction is from the fact that as they try to come in, they give off chemical messages to the surrounding teeth and bone making them more open to shifting. There are many other factors that enter into this, such as […]

Best time to remove wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are an extra set of teeth that are not necessary in a normal functional bite. I feel that their main purpose is to provide an extra set of teeth that can come in, in place of teeth that would have been lost earlier in life to dental disease in a person who did […]

How Your Wisdom Teeth Grow

Ever wondered how wisdom teeth grow? By your late teens, your jawbone has nearly reached its adult size. But sometimes it isn’t big enough to hold developing wisdom teeth. When this happens, your teeth become trapped in the bone and grow wherever they can. The crown (chewing surface of the tooth) may only partially break […]

Early Rather Than Later Is Best For Wisdom Teeth Removal

One of the questions we’re asked frequently at Wagner Oral Surgery is whether or not to remove wisdom teeth if they’re not causing problems. Our answer is usually yes, we recommend removal of wisdom teeth at about age 15. In some cases, such as with braces, we recommend removal as part of that treatment plan. That’s because late emerging wisdom teeth can cause […]