Wisdom Tooth Removal Through Odontectomy Surgery by a Dentist
Wisdom tooth removal by odontectomy: why impacted wisdom teeth cause pain and infection, how oral surgeons remove them, and what it costs in Indonesia.
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to come in, and when they appear varies widely from person to person, anywhere from age 16 to 25. Normally a person has 4 wisdom teeth, spread across the upper jaw (maxilla) and the lower jaw (mandible). Not everyone has them, though, and some people have fewer than 4. Because they come in last, there is often no room left in the gums, so wisdom teeth often grow in imperfectly.
When the gums lack space, a tooth may come in only partway and tilt toward its neighbor, and in some cases a wisdom tooth never comes in at all because it stays buried in the bone. This is where a dentist is needed to treat the impaction. A tooth in this position can become a breeding ground for disease because food debris is hard to clean away. Over time it can lead to cavities, pain and swelling, and infection of the soft tissue around the tooth. It is even possible for an impacted wisdom tooth buried in the bone to cause a cyst or a tumor.
To solve this problem, a dentist who specializes in oral surgery will usually remove the wisdom tooth in a procedure known as odontectomy. Odontectomy is a minor operation to remove an impacted wisdom tooth. Before the surgery, the surgeon first examines the shape and position of the tooth buried in the jawbone. After the extraction, patients usually complain of some swelling and slightly limited mouth opening. These complaints are only temporary and are not very disruptive. At most hospitals and clinics, an odontectomy generally costs roughly Rp 1 million to Rp 2 million, and the price varies depending on where you live.
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