Wisdom Teeth Removal

Dentists often recommend wisdom teeth removal because wisdom teeth can cause a myriad of problems when they are misaligned, which is oftentimes the case.  Wisdom teeth are the third set (and last set) of molars to erupt, and they usually “come in” sometime in the late teen years or the early twenties.  Oftentimes, wisdom teeth are a valuable asset to the mouth if they are properly aligned and healthy, but that is it is more often the case that they are not aligned and that wisdom teeth removal is required.

Problems Necessitating Wisdom Teeth Removal

There are a number of potential problems that misaligned wisdom teeth can present, including:

• If wisdom teeth are only partially erupted, an opening is created for bacteria to enter around the wisdom tooth, possibly causing an infection that can bring with it pain, jaw stiffness, swelling, and overall illness.  Teeth that are only partially erupted are more susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay since they are harder to reach and brushing and flossing is awkward in this area.
• Wisdom teeth can become entrapped entirely inside the soft tissue or the jaw bone, or might only breakthrough partially or might erupt through the gum line – either of which can cause pain or other problems.  Wisdom teeth that remain completely or partially entrapped within the jawbone or soft tissue are what are known as impacted.
• Wisdom teeth can take on a horizontal position within the mouth as opposed to normal vertical position.  They can also be angled toward or away from the second molars, or even angled outward or inward. This misalignment can cause damage to the adjacent teeth, nerves, or jawbone, can make the teeth become crowded.
• Wisdom teeth removal may be needed when wisdom teeth lean toward the second molars.  This position can make the second molars more prone to decay by allowing debris and plaque to become entrapped more readily.

Wisdom Tooth Removal Process

It can be relatively easy for a dentist or an oral surgeon to extract your wisdom teeth.  In most instances, wisdom tooth extraction requires an initial consultation or pre-extraction examination.  While a general dentist can remove a wisdom tooth that has fully erupted, if the wisdom tooth is impacted, your general dentist will probably refer you to an oral surgeon for consultation to determine if wisdom tooth removal is the best course of treatment for your particular situation. Your oral surgeon will review your x-rays and perform an oral examination before deciding if wisdom tooth removal is right for you. In most instances, you will return on another day for the actual wisdom tooth removal.  On the day of the procedure, you will be sedated while your wisdom teeth are removed, in most cases.  Following wisdom teeth removal, you will be given oral pain medication for several days.  Follow up visits are required so that the oral surgeon can determine if the extraction site is healing properly.

Cost of Wisdom Teeth Removal

The cost of wisdom teeth extraction is directly related to the complexity of the procedure needed to extract the wisdom teeth, with price points ranging from $400 to $2,000 or more.  Some cases of wisdom teeth extraction are simple.  Others are not.  If a wisdom tooth is underneath the gums or embedded in the jawbone, then the surgeon will have to make an incision into the gum line and then remove a portion of the bone that is lying over the wisdom tooth.  Many times, teeth in this situation are extracted in tiny sections in lieu of removing the entire tooth in one piece. This minimizes the amount of bone that will need to be removed in order to remove the wisdom tooth.

The cost of wisdom tooth removal also depends on the type of sedation that you and your oral surgeon decide is best for you.   If you merely have nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, the cost is quite a bit less than if you choose to be sedated intravenously.  With very simple wisdom teeth removal, only a local anesthetic is used (much like the medicine that is used to numb your tooth when having a regular tooth pulled).  Wisdom teeth extraction with an oral sedative, like Valium, for instance, is also a cheaper choice.

While it is not always necessary, removing your wisdom teeth can be important to your oral health.  The decision to remove your wisdom teeth or to leave them in place is one that only you and your dentist can make.