Patients are commonly referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for the removal of wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth are often impacted (obstructed from erupting properly usually due to crowding) which means they are not useful for function and are prone to cause a number of problems. Infection is the most common problem. Bacteria and food debris can be trapped and stagnate around wisdom teeth. Other problems can occur include decay (caries), erosion of adjacent teeth and associated cysts.
Not all wisdom teeth require removal. If they're functional or completely unerupted and covered by bone, they may not require removal.
Patients are normally seen for a consultation first and a panoramic x-ray (OPG) is normally required for diagnosis.
If wisdom teeth removal is planned, the type of anaesthetic needs to be determined. This is determined by the nature and extent of surgery required as well as patient preference and the level of anxiety the individual patient has about the procedure. This ranges from patients being completely awake (local anaesthesia), sedated (twilight sleep), or completely asleep (general anaesthesia). It's tailored for each patient to ensure the procedure is pain free and stress free.
