Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom Teeth: A Guide for Parents and Patients
Patients:
You’ve been told you need your wisdom teeth out. What’s next?
The removal of wisdom teeth is a routine procedure in our office, but it probably doesn’t feel that way to you. For many of our patients, just hearing the words “surgery” and “extraction” tends to bring up some fears. Our doctors want you to know that wisdom teeth extraction is safe, quick, and comfortable.
What are wisdom teeth, anyway?
We each get three sets of molars during our lifetime — the first molars arrive at age six, the second at age 12, and the third molars develop during the late teens and early twenties. Because it is during this age that children become wiser and transition into adulthood, we refer to the “third molars” as “wisdom teeth”.
Why wisdom teeth need to be pulled:
Your mouth was designed to hold 28 teeth, not 32. By the time your wisdom teeth start to grow, those 28 slots are already filled, making it difficult for them to grow in properly. That’s why 9 out of 10 people find themselves with at least one impacted wisdom tooth that requires extraction. Even when properly positioned, wisdom teeth can easily become infected, and are at risk for cysts and tumors (see “The Trouble with Wisdom Teeth”, below).
With wisdom teeth, everything is timing.
You may have noticed that many of your friends are having their wisdom teeth pulled out too. Why? That’s because there is an optimal (yet fleeting) opportunity between the ages of 17-25 when the tooth roots haven’t fully formed yet. Thus, the risk of damaging nearby nerves, bones and teeth during this time is significantly less.
Wisdom Teeth Presentation
To provide you with a better understanding of wisdom teeth, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to wisdom teeth are discussed.
Parents:
Choosing the Right Oral Surgeon for your Child
As oral surgery specialists with extensive training and experience, we are able to offer a different kind of “wisdom teeth experience” to our patients and their families. We are with you every step of the way and pay extra attention to the most critical parts of your child’s care, including:
- Anesthesia with a variety of options available.
- Compassion and comfort to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
- Home care and after-hours contact information.
- A thoughtful surgical strategy to minimize the need for invasive techniques.
- Careful consideration of timing to ensure the easiest recovery possible.
The Cost of Wisdom Teeth Removal
The cost of wisdom teeth removal varies depending on several circumstances (positioning, level of impaction, number of teeth) that are unique to your teen’s case. We will discuss all costs with you upfront and can help you determine whether your insurance offers any benefits for the procedure.
The Cost of Waiting
Because it is so common for wisdom teeth to cause problems such as infection, pain, damage to neighboring teeth and, in rare circumstances, cysts and tumors, it is generally recognized as standard practice to remove them in most people during the late teens and early twenties, before the roots have fully developed. Waiting to remove them increases the likelihood of problems and complications should they need to be removed down the road.
Complications of Wisdom Tooth Removal
As with any surgical procedure, there are some possible complications associated with the removal of the third molars. However, since the procedure has been very well tested, these complications (nerve injuries, fractures and injury to the joint) are very rare, and, if the surgery is performed at an early age, the risk is even less.
The Trouble with Wisdom Teeth
Are you still feeling unsure? Consider this: Wisdom teeth that are not removed can cause the following problems throughout your life:
Infection:
Your gums can become infected, a condition known as “pericoronitis”, due to the wisdom teeth unsuccessfully trying to push through the gum tissue. This condition, which causes pain, swelling and problems swallowing, can recur periodically.
Cysts and Benign Tumors:
Cysts are fluid-filled pockets that can form inside the jawbone when wisdom teeth are impacted. They can be very damaging and difficult to treat as they destroy jawbone and even neighboring teeth.
Crowding and Alignment Issues:
It should be no surprise that impacted wisdom teeth crowd your smile, causing misalignment issues, even if you have had braces
Damage to Nearby Teeth:
Wisdom teeth are notorious for damaging their neighbors by making it difficult to practice good hygiene in the area. This often results in decay, gum disease and sometimes bone loss.
If you have been putting off wisdom teeth surgery, give us a call — we can give you the calm, safe, comfortable experience you are looking for!
Patient Reviews for Wisdom Tooth Extraction
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Indiana Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates
Patient Review
I would recommend anyone needing their wisdom teeth removed to come here. The staff was friendly and professional each time and Dr. Montefalco was wonderful. I have had no issues whatsoever and never needed the pain medicine. I had some soreness for a few days and everything is healing wonderfully. I am so happy with the results. I was very scared at first being in my thirties. Thank you Dr. and staff for everything.
- Amber A
Patient Review
I loved my experience at IOMSA! I would definitely recommend this place to a friend. They were so caring even to me, a thirteen year old who was very anxious about her first surgery. My first surgery will never be forgotten! Dr. Lambert was my favorite and he sang I can't Feel My Face to me to get me to go to sleep. Comfortable and amazing experience!
- Hailey H
Patient Review
Dr. Davis did a superb job. Hardly any pain at all. The first day, my mouth was a joke, but after it has felt great. Very impressed.
- Joey P
Patient Review
In case anyone is reading this who is searching for an oral surgeon. I can't praise Montefalco enough! I had never had any sort of surgery before, never had anesthesia, and never even had a stitch. Also, I'm very OCD about my teeth. So needless to say, i was petrified about the whole ordeal. He even prescribed me three Valiums to take prior to coming in to calm my nerves. I was so freaked out and worked up, the Valiums did nothing to phase me. Haha! I only had 3 wisdom teeth. The forth one never formed. All 3 of mine were impacted though and the one that formed on the bottom had the roots grow all the down and around the nerve. I had a good chance of nerve damage causing loss of feeling and sensitivity resulting in getting it removed, but the damagae it would cause to my other teeth by keeping it outweighed the risk. Surgery went smooth and fantastic. No nerve damage and i can honestly say the top two teeth that were removed caused me no pain postoperation even though they were impacted. The one on the bottom caused me some discomfort but was very well managed with pain medication. It swelled up huuuuge though. But he had to cut all the way down to my jaw bone in order to remove it, so that is to be expected. The swelling was the main contributing factor the the discomfort. One week after my surgery and I was good to go! 🙂
- Kendra C
Patient Review
I was very nervous going in there, because I have never been put to sleep, nor have I ever had surgery. Everyone was very friendly and helped to feel more at ease. I highly recommend their facility. Dr. Lambert was just great. He could tell I was nervous and helped me to relax.
- Colton L
Patient Review
Was very satisfied with the staff extremely welcoming & friendly and how easy it was to schedule. Overall a great facility.
- Anonymous
Patient Review
Dr. Pruitt and his staff are wonderful. He fully explained everything and made sure I had a chance to ask questions. The staff is very friendly and the office is very well organized. I appreciate Dr. pruitt writing a letter of medical necessity so that I was able to have sedation coverage for the procedure due to my high anxiety. I would recommend this office to others. Thank you.
- Holly C
Patient Review
Dr. Bojrab did an excellent job in removing my wisdom teeth and while i had a lot of anxiety, the staff did a great job taking care of me!
- Chris C
