Impacted Teeth

Dear Patients,

Sunshine and warm weather has finally arrived in Cleveland, Ohio! Once again the storied sports fans must repeat the mantra “maybe next year!”

With the arrival of summer, many students are home for their break. With young adults in mind I felt it prudent to discuss impacted teeth. The term impacted teeth generally refers to the wisdom teeth, or third molars, although other teeth can also be impacted. This term describes the fact that often times the wisdom teeth are submerged below the surface of the gum and are either not visible or barely visible. There are numerous terms to describe the degree of impaction, from soft tissue to full bony. These terms are used to describe how submerged the teeth are. Generally speaking, the more submerged, the more involved the surgery to remove them will be. I generally recommend that patients that have impacted teeth needing removal be sedated for the procedure. The sedation is not absolutely necessary, but does allow the patient to have the procedure performed without anxiety or apprehension. I also recommend that patients have their wisdom teeth removed prior to the age of 25, as numerous studies have demonstrated the post operative complication increase greatly after that age.

Should you or a loved one have questions regarding their wisdom teeth and/or their removal, please contact our office.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Dagostino, DDS

Comments are closed.