Procedures
Wisdom Teeth (or third molars)
Wisdom teeth often end up being harmful "extra teeth". Teaching center studies show that these four late-growing teeth cause a variety of problems.
The average mouth is only large enough to hold 28 adult teeth; it can be painful when 32 teeth try to squeeze in. These four extra teeth are your wisdom teeth and frequently cause infections, growths and other problems.
Why Should I Remove My Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to grow. IF they develop or erupt properly and gum tissue is healthy, then wisdom teeth do not have to be removed.
Unfortunately, this does not generally happen. Wisdom teeth that are trapped in the jawbone are often called “impacted teeth”. The removal of wisdom teeth is often necessary when they can't properly grow into the mouth. In addition, many wisdom teeth grow sideways, partially break through the gum, or remain trapped completely beneath the gum or bone.
These poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause many problems. Even a very small opening in the gum over an impacted wisdom tooth allows bacteria to grow, which will eventually cause an infection. The result can be: swelling, stiffness, pain and illness. The pressure from the impacted (or trapped) wisdom tooth can move other teeth and result in harming your smile and your bite. Tumors or cysts can also form around the impacted wisdom tooth. These can damage the jawbone and healthy teeth, resulting in unnecessary harm.
Recent medical and dental research supports the theory that chronic (or longterm) infected wisdom teeth can contribute to the blockage of heart vessels, in some people.
Early removal of impacted wisdom teeth is recommended by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. This is to decrease future problems, and to decrease the surgical difficulty involved with this procedure. Difficulty and possible problems increase with a person's age. Hundreds of research articles and studies support this conclusion.
Oral Examination
With an oral examination and x-rays of the mouth, Dr. Levy can evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth and predict the likelihood of present or future problems. Research has shown that early evaluation and treatment result in a superior outcome for the patient.
Wisdom teeth are usually best evaluated by Dr. Levy when you or your child is a mid-teenager up to early twenties. Wisdom tooth surgery and postoperative recovery is often more predictable at that age. If your wisdom teeth become infected when you're older, Dr. Levy will evaluate and counsel you about your needed treatment.
Outpatient surgery is performed under an appropriate Anesthesia to maximize you or your child's comfort. Dr. Levy received Anesthesia training at the Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Teaching Hospital. His training, combined with more than two decades of experience, enable him to provide various types of suitable anesthesia care. He is a Fellow of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, a title gained by rigorous peer examination and experience.
These services are provided in an environment of attention and care. Dr Levy and his staff have been heavily educated in state-of-the-art monitoring equipment so they can provide safe Anesthesia Care. Dr. Levy will take you to the hospital for surgery if your medical condition makes that the best choice.
For his own care, Dr. Levy had one side of wisdom teeth removed with Anesthesia, and the other side with ‘Novocaine”. Whichever method you choose, the Doctor can empathize with you as a former patient!
The doctor chose to do this so that he could advise his patients on which method might be best for then from his personal experience.