Third molars, also called wisdom teeth, are the last of a person’s teeth to surface, usually between ages 17-25. Most people have four wisdom teeth, but some don’t have any, and in rare cases people have more than four. Your dentist will observe your wisdom teeth through x-rays as part of regular examinations.
The Canadian Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (CAOMS) estimates that 85% of wisdom teeth will eventually require removal. Wisdom teeth are often impacted – not properly emerged through the gums, or sometimes growing crooked or even completely sideways. Left untreated the impacted teeth can cause a host of problems, including crowding of the other teeth, and/or misalignment and jaw. Wisdom teeth also commonly cause headaches and infection.
Even if not impacted, wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean and often require removal to reduce the risk of decay and infection.
The best time to remove wisdom teeth is when a patient is in their late teens to early 20’s, according to the CAOMS. Surgeries performed later in life are still effective, but healing may be slower, and the risk of complications may be slightly higher.
Wisdom teeth extraction is performed under local or general anesthetic and does not require an overnight stay.
