Impacted Wisdom Teeth
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Third molars are commonly referred to as wisdom teeth. They are usually the last teeth to develop and are located in the back of your mouth, behind your second molars. Their development is usually completed between the middle teenage years and early twenties, a time traditionally associated with the onset of maturity and the attainment of wisdom.
Wisdom Teeth Presentation
To provide you with a better understanding of wisdom teeth, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to wisdom teeth are discussed.
What Is An Impacted Tooth?
Although most people develop and grow 32 permanent adult teeth, many times their jaws are too small to accommodate the four wisdom teeth. When inadequate space prevents the teeth from erupting they are called impacted. This indicates their inability to erupt into the proper position for chewing and cleaning.
Types Of Impactions
We will need to see you for a consultation to determine if you will benefit from wisdom tooth removal. A special x-ray of your mouth and jaws (panorex) will be taken to determine if your wisdom teeth are impacted, if there is room for them to erupt, and how difficult it will be to have them removed.
- Soft Tissue Impaction: There is not enough room to allow the gum tissue to retract for adequate cleaning of the tooth.
- Partial Bony Impaction: There is enough space to allow the wisdom tooth to partially erupt. However, the tooth cannot function properly in the chewing process, and creates cleaning problems, among others.
- Complete Bony Impaction: There is NO space for the tooth to erupt. It remains embedded in the jaw bone or if even partially visible requires complex surgical techniques for removal.The impacted wisdom tooth may also be in an unusual position and difficult to remove. This situation can also arise when the shape or size of the jaw bone and other facial structures make removal of this tooth significantly more complex.
Soft Tissue
Partial Bony
Complete BonyCortland Oral Surgery
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Doc was very patient with difficult extraction. Explained why difficult and showed me evidence. Assistant was sweet and supportive, had good teamwork with Dr San Giacomo.
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Wonderful experience, which sounds very strange for a tooth extraction, I was really scared, and the doctor and staff were wonderful, very professional, very patient and caring. Procedure was very quick and I was done before I had a chance to panic.
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I was there for consultation on a tooth problem. The doctor and the staff were all wonderful - professional, friendly, caring, explained everything very thoroughly for me. I'd most certainly go back if ever need be.
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I had a wonderful experience throughout my oral surgery procedure. Staff was friendly and welcoming and the doctor put me at ease, thoroughly explaining options and answering all of my questions. I was kept very comfortable throughout the entire process and felt I was in excellent hands.
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what a great office - these folks have a genuine feeling of family - very rare these days - and Dr. San Giacomo is simply the best, most skilled oral surgeon in our part of Upstate NY - he is amazingly focused and patient, and great to communicate with - after my experience with Dr. San Giacomo and his staff, i would never consider seeing another oral surgeon....it's just that simple:
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