Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom Teeth usually start to move and push through the gumline in the late teens or twenties. Sometimes these large molars can get stuck, which can cause noticeable discomfort and potential infection. If you are experiencing pain in the back of your mouth or having difficulty brushing or flossing between gaps, speak with the dentists at Kensington Dental Care before any serious symptoms occur.
At Kensington Dental Care, we observe and monitor the growth of wisdom teeth in our younger patients to ensure a safe and effective treatment plan is in place.
Why Do We Need Wisdom Teeth?
Our human ancestors didn’t have knives and forks to cut up their food, and didn’t cook the meat from the animals they killed for food. So, they needed the extra teeth for chewing hardy, coarse and raw food. The broader jaw was necessary, so they grew wisdom teeth to give them more chewing power.
Common Wisdom Tooth Alignments
Wisdom teeth are also known as third molars and they usually don’t cause any problems when they erupt in alignment with your other teeth.
However, any or all of your four wisdom teeth can grow in misalignment, becoming either partially or fully wrapped in your gums or jawbone. Where this occurs, it’s referred to as an impaction which can result in trapped food particles, leading to potential inflammation and infection.
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A vertical wisdom tooth is also called vertical impaction, and it occurs when your wisdom tooth is in the proper position for eruption but it’s trapped underneath the gum.
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A horizontal wisdom tooth is when the tooth is impacted horizontally and is lying on its side, trapped under the gum. These growth abnormalities are often painful because they put too much pressure on nearby teeth.
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Mesial impaction or mesioangular wisdom teeth are the most typical type and occur when wisdom teeth are angled toward the front of the mouth.
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Distoangular or distal impaction is the rarest misalignment of wisdom teeth. This abnormality occurs when the wisdom tooth is angled toward the back of the mouth.
Relief for Severe Wisdom Tooth Pain
Supermarket variety painkillers can assist with mild, short-term pain. However, removal may be necessary to prevent any ongoing pain or future problems, such as gum infection, cysts or overcrowding. For simple cases, numbing the gums with a local anaesthetic is all that is necessary before removing wisdom teeth. For deeper or more complex removals, a surgical procedure by oral and maxillofacial surgeons may be needed.
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
An impacted wisdom tooth can cause various oral health problems, including gum disease, infection and cavities, and you may need your wisdom teeth removed. Impacted wisdom teeth can also cause damage to nearby teeth. For wisdom tooth extraction, you may need an oral surgeon to perform oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Dentists For Wisdom Teeth Treatment
Our family dental clinic at Kensington Dental Care provides a caring environment and a comfortable experience so the next visit won’t be a worry. If you want to find out about wisdom tooth infection or about the healing process after getting wisdom teeth removed, please get in touch.
Adelaide dentist Dr Evan routinely performs wisdom tooth extractions under general anaesthetic at some of our local hospitals. If you’re interested in information about tooth decay, severe pain management, bleeding gums, or other dental treatment options, contact us to book an appointment today.
Talk to us about wisdom tooth removal today.
Other Services
Our services are provided as a preferred partner of Bupa and HCF health funds.
We also accept all other health funds including Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA).
