Extraction of Erupted or Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth commonly develop around 18-20 years of age. They may erupt in alignment but more often they come through at an unfavourable angle or not erupt at all.
Often wisdom teeth can be very difficult to keep clean resulting in cavities and gum disease affecting the wisdom teeth itself or the teeth in front. Sometimes they can also affect the position of the adjacent teeth. Removal of wisdom teeth may be difficult at times and may require a minor surgical procedure to remove them. Although not pleasant, it’s important not to compromise the long term health and position of the molars.
Oral Biopsies
The inside of the mouth is lined with a special type of skin called mucosa which is smooth and coral pink in colour. Any alteration in this appearance (outside of genetic pigmentations) could be a warning sign of a pathological process (e.g., cancerous growth), and this could happen anywhere in the oral cavity, including the lips, gum tissue, cheek lining, tongue and the hard or soft palate.
Exposure of Impacted Teeth
Patients may have adult teeth that never erupt into the mouth due to crowding, genetic factors or unfavourable tooth positions. After the wisdom teeth, the upper canines are the most common teeth to be impacted.
Early detection around the age of 10 is important for the long term prongnosis of these teeth. If the teeth remain impacted then it requires “exposure”, which involves a small procedure to lift the gums away to reveal the impacted tooth for a gold chain to be bonded on and gently drawn into place by orthodontic treatment.