Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are often extracted either before or after they come in. They commonly come in during the late teens or early 20s. They need to be removed if they are decayed, cause pain, have a cyst or infection or are headed in the direction of some misalignment issue. These teeth often get stuck in the jaw (impacted) and do not come in. This can irritate the gum, causing pain and swelling. In these cases, the tooth must be removed. If you need all four wisdom teeth removed, they are usually taken out at the same time.
Your dentist will make the recommendation for a tooth extraction based on your examination and radiographs (usually between the ages of 16-22). Not all wisdom teeth have to be removed; in some cases, there is adequate room, and the wisdom tooth can come in and function normally. In other cases, the wisdom tooth stays buried in bone and is unlikely to erupt. And in some cases, the wisdom tooth never forms at all. The most common wisdom tooth problem occurs when the tooth comes into the mouth only part of the way and then stalls. In these instances, it is best to remove these teeth at a recommended time and not wait until they have caused damage or become infected at the worst possible time (while on vacation, etc.).
How Teeth are Extracted
You may hear people talk about getting a tooth “pulled.” This is an unfortunate term because we don’t pull out teeth to remove them. If we did, we could easily damage the surrounding teeth, gums and/or bone. If a tooth needs removal, we numb the area around it and then “luxate” it. To luxate a tooth, we move it from side to side until it loosens, then it is gently lifted out of the mouth. Sometimes we will cut the tooth into two or more pieces to remove it safely, especially if it has several roots going different directions.
