Some of you may be curious about how impacted wisdom teeth are removed. How does the oral surgeon get down into the bone and remove horizontal wisdom teeth that are deep under the gums and surrounded by bone? The following diagrams will clearly explain the procedures.
Wisdom Teeth Position
Wisdom teeth can be present in various configurations: tilted forward, straight up, tilted backwards, or sideways.
Tilted Teeth
A wisdom tooth that is tilted forward: When removing an impacted wisdom tooth that is tilted forward, a surgical drill is used to create a small trough around the crown of the tooth. This provides space to allow removal of the tooth. The back part of the tooth is sectioned off and then gently removed. The tooth is loosened with an instrument. Afterwards, the tooth is then rotated back and out of the extraction socket.
Straight Position
A wisdom tooth that is in the straight up position: When removing an impacted wisdom tooth that is straight up, a surgical drill is used to create a small trough around the crown of the tooth. This provides space to allow for the removal of the tooth. The tooth is then sectioned in half and each half is gently loosened with an instrument. Next, the back half of the tooth is removed out of the socket. This provides adequate room to allow removal of the front half of the tooth.
Backwards Tilt
A wisdom tooth that is tilted backwards: When removing an impacted wisdom tooth that is tilted backwards, a surgical drill is used to create a small trough around the crown of the tooth. This provides space to allow removal of the tooth. The crown of the tooth is sectioned off and then gently removed. The roots of the tooth are loosened with an instrument. The roots are then removed from the extraction socket.
Sideways Teeth
A wisdom tooth that is lying sideways (horizontal wisdom teeth): When removing an impacted wisdom tooth that is lying sideways, a surgical drill is used to create a small trough around the crown of the tooth. This provides space to allow removal of the tooth. The crown of the tooth is sectioned off and then gently removed. The roots of the tooth are loosened with an instrument and removed one at a time.
Understanding the positions and environment is crucial to a successful removal of impacted wisdom teeth. If you have questions or concerns, give us a call today to see how we can help
All images were adapted from Peterson LJ, Ellis E III, Hupp JR, Tukcer MR editors. Contemporary oral and maxillofacial surgery. 4th ed. St Louis: CV Mosby;2003
