Wisdom Tooth Extractions
with Dr. Hazen

There’s an old saying that with age comes wisdom, and perhaps that’s also where the name for our extra set of molars came from: in other words, your “wisdom teeth.” These extra molars emerge typically when a patient reaches adulthood around ages 18 to 20. However, a majority of patients will not have the space in their smile to accommodate these new teeth so late in life. As a result, the common solution is simply to have them surgically removed to avoid having the wisdom teeth form impactions against your other teeth. We offer this service for all patients in the South Bend, Kokomo, Fort Wayne, Northwest Ohio, and Southwest Michigan areas.What is a Wisdom Tooth?

What is a Wisdom Tooth?

Wisdom teeth are a set of molars that emerge later in a patient’s life, around their late teens or early twenties. Commonly, there is little to no room for the teeth to emerge properly, and so has garnered a negative reputation. They’re often the source for the discomfort when patients experience jaw pain, teeth crowding, and more as a result. To save the patient’s smile and prevent further damage, it’s advised that these teeth be removed by an experienced dental professional.

What Types of Wisdom Tooth Impactions Occur?

Wisdom teeth can come in at different angles and positions, and if they press against another tooth it’s known as an impaction.

• Distal Impaction: This impaction occurs when the wisdom tooth is angled away from the adjacent teeth towards the back of the mouth, but the roots of the wisdom tooth may be pressing against the tooth.
• Mesial Impaction: A mesial impaction occurs when the wisdom tooth is angled in such a way that the crown of the tooth is pressed against the side of the adjacent molar.
• Horizontal Impaction: In this position, the wisdom tooth is lying completely on its side, pushing against the adjacent molar.
• Vertical Impaction: The wisdom tooth may or may not be touching the neighboring tooth, but is positioned relatively normally.

Keep in mind that wisdom teeth sometimes don’t erupt, but lie under the gums, and other times they emerge slightly in what’s known as a partial eruption.

The Wisdom Tooth Extraction Process

The first step is to consult with Dr. Hazen about the state of your wisdom teeth and determine if your teeth need to be removed. As this is a surgical procedure, the degree of sedation dentistry necessary depends on a few factors: the patient’s overall health, the position of the wisdom tooth impaction, the complexity of the procedure (nerve endings, roots, etc), and how many teeth need to be extracted. If only one or two wisdom teeth need to be removed, local anesthesia or light sedation may be all you need to feel no pain during the procedure. For the removal of all four wisdom teeth, a deeper form of sedation may be used so the patient feels no pain or has any memory of the procedure. In either case, we highly recommend that a friend or family member transport you to and from our practice, for your safety.