Wisdom teeth are the third molars right at the back of your mouth. They usually appear during your late teens or early twenties. If there is not enough room in your mouth they may partially erupt through the gum or not at all. This is referred to as an impacted wisdom tooth. Due to their location wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean and are more susceptible to decay, gum disease and recurrent infections. They can cause crowding of teeth and, on rare occasions, cysts and tumours develop around them. Your dentist will advise if some or all of your wisdom teeth need to be removed. Wisdom teeth will usually only be removed if your dentist believes they will be a significant compromise to your oral health. Impacted tooth extraction Your dentist may recommend extraction if you are at significantly greater risk of infection or tooth decay. Impacted teeth may be removed by your dentist or they may refer you to an oral & maxillofacial surgeon. An incision (cut) is made in your gum and access to the impacted tooth cleared by pushing aside gum tissue and, if necessary, removing some bone. The tooth is removed whole or in pieces and the gum stitched together over the hole.

Gum tissue at the site of the implant is opened up to expose the bone. The bone is drilled and a titanium implant is inserted where the root of your tooth had been. Once the bone and gum has healed (3-6 months), the post is attached to the implant and the crown is placed over the post and cemented into place.

The core of a tooth contains connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves, collectively known as dental pulp. At the top of a tooth it is found in the pulp chamber and within the root of a tooth it is found in root canals. If the tooth pulp is damaged or infected your dentist may recommend a root canal filling. Traditionally these teeth were extracted. Your dentist will take an x-ray to determine the health and location of the dental pulp. They will drill a hole through the top of your tooth to access the root canals. The root canals are cleaned and shaped with a dental file and washed with a sterilising solution. The root canals can then be filled with a permanent filling. A crown may be added for further protection and to improve your tooth’s appearance. For more information please view the New Zealand Society of Endodontics website. Root canal retreatment In a small proportion of people who receive a root canal filling, the treatment fails or the symptoms of infection and inflammation can persist. This can occur soon after treatment or many years later. Treatment usually involves removing the root filling material and repeating the root canal treatment. For more information please view the New Zealand Society of Endodontics website.