The mouth of a healthy adult will contain 32 teeth, meaning 16 on the top and 16 on the bottom. This is of course barring that any have been removed for another reason. Each tooth has a purpose, like the front teeth, the bicuspids, the canines and the incisors, which all work together to bite, rip and chew food into smaller, more manageable pieces. The back teeth, the molars, function to grind food further into the proper consistency for healthy digestion.

However, our Burlington dentists know that with all these teeth doing their thing, a problem often arises. The problem is that our mouths are usually only able to fit 28 teeth comfortably, and 32 makes things a bit crowded. These extra four teeth, known as our third molars or wisdom teeth just don’t fit. You’ve probably heard of them before, maybe you’ve even been advised to have them removed by your dentist, because after all, they often aren’t fully functional and don’t do much except crowd your mouth.

Let’s look at how we deal with annoying wisdom teeth and safely removing them.

An Oral Examination

Typically, your dentist at our Burlington dental office will use x-rays to evaluate the size, shape and position of your wisdom teeth. At this point a determination will be made regarding if the wisdom teeth should be removed. X-rays help predict if and how your wisdom teeth will erupt and if they will become a hazard to the surrounding teeth and your jaw. Wisdom teeth removal is best done early to avoid a more painful operation in the future. This is why we evaluate our patients in their mid-teens and make recommendations. It should be noted that not all wisdom teeth will need to be removed, provided there is enough room in your mouth and that they are aligned correctly so they will erupt without damaging the surrounding teeth.

Extracting Wisdom Teeth

Your comfort is a top priority, which means that any tooth extractions (including wisdom teeth) are performed under anaesthesia so you won’t feel pain. Our offices use only modern equipment and techniques to ensure your wisdom teeth removal runs smoothly and safely.

The large majority of wisdom teeth extractions are done using a local anaesthetic, a general anaesthesia or nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Your dentist will provide you with all your options and consult with you on how the procedure will be carried out. You will be notified of any potential risks and will be able to speak about any concerns you may have.

Often wisdom teeth require surgical removal, meaning an oral surgeon will perform the procedure. Once the surgery gets underway, you will be anaesthetized before the teeth are extracted. The procedure isn’t as scary as it sounds and usually doesn’t take very long.

After the Extraction

We require that patients make arrangements to be taken home because driving is not recommended due to the lingering effects of anaesthesia. You will be able to rest and recover from the anaesthesia in our office until you are ready. You will be given instructions on how to care for your mouth after the extraction, including what you can eat and how long recovery will take. A follow up appointment to make sure everything is in order is usually also recommended. The use of pain medications is common and sometimes antibiotics are required. Your dentist or oral surgeon will advise you on taking care of your mouth after wisdom teeth removal.

If you have any questions about a potential wisdom tooth extraction procedure, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office and set up a consultation appointment.