Wisdom teeth have a nasty habit of causing havoc with your mouth, gums and jaws, so there’s a good chance you’ll need to have them removed at some point in your life. In fact, at Precision OMS, it’s one of the most common surgical procedures we perform. 

Sometimes a wisdom tooth will break through unchallenged. But for some of us, there isn’t enough room in our mouths for this new tooth; it may also create issues as it comes through, causing infection or unwanted tooth movement. Many people experience unnecessary pain and discomfort by ignoring the symptoms of problematic wisdom teeth.

If you – or perhaps your teenager – is experiencing discomfort from wisdom teeth, make an appointment at our Geelong surgery to get your wisdom teeth properly assessed by our professional staff. 

What is wisdom teeth removal?

Your wisdom teeth are back molars that usually develop after your other permanent teeth have come through. While everyone is different, wisdom teeth typically appear between the ages of 17 and 25.

Wisdom teeth removal is a surgical procedure that occurs under different treatment formats. Whether it’s a local anaesthetic – administered alone, or with intravenous sedation – or a general anaesthetic, we tailor our approach to provide you with the most comfortable experience during the procedure in our rooms or hospital. There are a number of reasons why you may need your wisdom teeth removed by an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. They might be functionally useless; cause pain; promote decay, erosion and movement of neighbouring teeth; be prone to soft tissue infection or bone erosion; or lead to a benign cyst developing at some time in the future.

Wisdom tooth removal may often be an elective oral surgical procedure but, it can also occur in an emergency scenario if you’re suffering severe infection and pain. While older patients will need to weigh the risks and benefits of removing their wisdom teeth, younger patients may find that choosing an elective procedure – rather than waiting until the situation turns into an emergency – is an effective way to care for, manage and control future dental issues. 

Key benefits of wisdom teeth removal

The most obvious reason to remove a wisdom tooth is to reduce any pain and infection you may be experiencing. But there are many other reasons why this oral surgical procedure may suit your needs. Wisdom teeth removal can:

• Create space and protect against future dental issues: Wisdom teeth can impede neighbouring teeth, causing your mouth to become crowded. Removing wisdom teeth can also allow space for orthodontic arch optimisation, which helps to avoid overcrowding in your top and bottom jaw, giving you a reason to smile. This may be encouraged prior to or following any orthodontic treatment.

• Better oral hygiene: Wisdom teeth removal can reduce and eliminate the potential causes of bad breath due to recurrent soft tissue infections.

Dental technology solutions for wisdom teeth

Your wisdom teeth treatment begins with a focused clinical assessment of your dental anatomy, using state-of-the-art plain and 3D cone-beam CT imaging technology at our Geelong surgery. This process takes just minutes to perform and then review, allowing us to conduct a risk analysis and create a treatment plan based on the care you need.