Definition
The wisdom tooth surgery is a surgical, surgical procedure. It can be performed either by an experienced dentist, an oral surgeon (dentist with surgical training) or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Wisdom teeth are called third molars or third molars.
They are also called “eights” in the short form, because they represent the eighth teeth starting from the center. There can be two wisdom teeth per jaw (upper jaw and lower jaw), although some people do not have any facilities for them. Size, shape and root proportions (number of roots, curved course, thick and thin) can vary.
In very few cases they grow out of the jaw normally and do not cause any complications. In this case, they do not need to be extracted and perform the same tasks as the other permanent teeth. Pain, inflammation, lack of space or incorrect growth in the jaw are reasons for removing wisdom teeth.
Causes for wisdom tooth surgery
The causes for surgery are manifold. If the tooth does not grow completely out of the jaw, recurring inflammation can occur. In such a case, gum pockets form which are either difficult or impossible to clean from bacteria and decomposing food residues.
If the wisdom teeth are very close to their neighbouring teeth, they cannot be cleaned properly. The risk of root caries increases significantly and the horizontal pressure can also lead to increased bone resorption. Due to their great variability in shape and size, many wisdom teeth form obstacles in the jaw area. These can lead to tooth damage, deformation of other teeth, nocturnal teeth grinding (bruxism) or jaw joint problems.
Diagnosis
To make a diagnosis, a detailed preliminary examination of the patient is performed. During this examination, the current dental status and the current general health of the patient are determined. Special attention is paid to known allergies, bleeding tendencies, blood clotting disorders or infectious diseases.
All these things can lead to unwanted complications during the surgical procedure. A normal, two-dimensional X-ray image is usually sufficient for the treating physician for the removal. This is called an orthopantomogram (OPG) and shows the anatomical relationships of all teeth in the upper and lower jaw.
In the case of wisdom teeth that are complicated in the jaw, the use of a three-dimensional X-ray image (DVT) may be necessary. This allows an exact, spatial representation of all structures involved (roots, nerves, surrounding blood vessels). Thus, a safe planning can be made for complicated operations and the risk of injury to structures is minimized.
