Wisdom Teeth Removal Information For 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. Dr. Li and Dr. Fan 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 do they 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”).

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.

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