Most of us have three sets of molars. Molars are the big chewing teeth that are to be found further back in your mouth. The first set comes in when we are around 6 or 7 years old, followed by another set at around 12 years. The last set of these teeth also known as Wisdom teeth have a wide variation in when they come in or if they do come in. Most of us do not have enough room in our mouths to fit these teeth and its a common finding to see these teeth stuck half way in the mouth. These half erupted teeth tend to collect food and debris and set off gum infections or cavities in adjacent teeth. Very rarely these teeth may be associated with pathologies such as cysts and tumours.

 

So do we need them?

Not really. Most of us have enough teeth to chew with without needing wisdom teeth.

 

Do we need to get them out all the time?

It depends really. Our preference is to see the child early around 14 or 15 to see if this is a useful procedure for the patient. Every patient is different and we might advise you to have these teeth taken out immediately as a preventive measure, in other cases, we would elect to wait for the teeth to erupt and thereby "shallower" so your surgery is not that invasive. As we get older the risks of the procedure might out weigh the benefits and we might choose to just check these teeth once a year to make sure they are not harming our patients.

 

Do we need to be put to sleep for the procedure?

Not really. Most 3rd molars can be done with mild sedation and local anesthesia. Every once in a while, in a really anxious patient or a severely impacted (thats a wisdom tooth stuck deep inside your jaw bone) it might be beneficial to be “put to sleep” for the procedure. For patients who are concerned about the procedure we will help you in finding a surgeon you like who can sedate you for this procedure.

Do we need to take all of them out at once?

Its your preference really. I would prefer to get a side done at a time. So we would do the 3rd molars on the top and bottom right side at one visit and then follow it up with the other side at a later date. This limits the soreness to one side of the mouth. Should there be a complication its on only one side and lastly its a bit cheaper to stagger them!

 

Are there any complications?

Any surgical procedure carries its own risks. Thankfully this procedure is a very safe one and most times there is limited complications involved. However, prior to starting any procedure Dr. Saravana and his staff will carefully go over all the potential risks and remedial procedures so that you can make fully informed decision. If you need Wisdom Teeth Removal or Impacted Teeth Removal in Fredericksburg, Stafford areas call our office at 540 370 8504.