Wisdom Teeth

With the change in our dietary habits, consumption of cooked and soft foods has increased. This has led to a reduction in the size of jawbones, and as a result, wisdom teeth remain buried in the bone. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause crowding and pain in other teeth, as well as carry the risk of cysts and infections.

An infected wisdom tooth can cause pain in the throat, ear, neck, and head area, as well as limited mouth opening. Therefore, to prevent such problems, regular dental check-ups should be done every six months, and any existing problems should be addressed beforehand.

Tooth decay: Wisdom teeth are difficult to clean and maintain since they are in a tilted position towards the cheek or tongue. Therefore, tooth decay is frequently observed. Additionally, due to their location, treating decay or canal therapy can be difficult, so extraction may be a more beneficial treatment option.
Risk of decay in neighboring teeth: When wisdom teeth erupt half-way or in a tilted position, they can cause decay in the large molar tooth they are adjacent to, due to food accumulation. In this case, when there is a risk of decay in healthy large molar teeth, extraction of the wisdom teeth may be necessary.
Pericoronitis: In half-buried wisdom teeth, microorganisms can accumulate between the buried part and the gum tissue covering it, causing inflammation. This condition can lead to symptoms such as swelling, bad taste and odor in the mouth, pain, redness, restricted mouth opening, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. The primary treatment for constantly recurring inflammatory conditions is tooth extraction.
Crowding of teeth: When wisdom teeth in a tilted position try to erupt, they can cause crowding in the anterior teeth region by applying pressure to the front teeth.
Pain: Impacted or half-buried wisdom teeth can create a feeling of compression and pain in all surrounding teeth as they try to erupt by applying pressure to the adjacent teeth.
Cyst formation in the bone: Cyst formation can occur in the epithelial tissue surrounding wisdom teeth. While cysts are benign pathologies, they can cause bone erosion when left untreated. In large-sized cysts, bone fractures can even occur due to bone thinning. The treatment involves the removal of the wisdom tooth and the cyst tissue surrounding it.
Chronic trauma: Wisdom teeth that cannot erupt in their normal position can sometimes erupt towards the cheek side. In such a case, the gum mucosa can be damaged.

Should wisdom teeth be extracted if there is no pain or complaint?

People who are aware of dental health may have concerns about whether or not to extract wisdom teeth. The reason is that wisdom teeth can cause cyst formation as they remain buried. Cysts can grow without showing any symptoms and can cause teeth to loosen by eroding the surrounding jawbone. Additionally, when cysts approach anatomical points, symptoms such as tingling and numbness can be seen in the jaw nerves. Therefore, extraction of impacted teeth...

Sinüs Lifting

Maxillary sinuses are cavities located above the upper jaw, above the molars and premolars. One important function of these sinuses is to humidify the air we breathe in. However, if the upper posterior teeth are lost and the extraction socket remains without teeth for a long period, the sinuses can descend downward and cause a loss of bone height. In this case, sinus lifting can be performed to increase the bone level, depending on the amount of existing bone.

How many different lifting methods are there?

Sinus lifting can be performed using two different methods: open or closed.

Closed sinus lifting is a preferred method when there is a need for 2-3mm of bone in the area where the implant will be placed. This method can be performed during the implantation session and is simpler and shorter than other sinus lifting methods. Due to the quick healing process, the time required for making the prosthesis after implantation can be reduced.
Open sinus lifting is used in cases where the sinus has sagged too much and more than 2-3mm of bone is needed. In this method, a surgical window is opened in an area close to the sinus base, and the sinus floor is elevated to allow for new bone formation.

Apical Resection

Root apex inflammation that occurs in teeth damaged by decay, trauma, or other causes can lead to loss of tooth vitality. In this case, our primary goal should be to treat the tooth rather than extract it. Thanks to developing treatment methods, teeth with root apex inflammation can now be treated with high success rates. However, in some cases, root canal treatment may be insufficient, and the inflammation may continue to spread to surrounding tissues. In this case, a surgical intervention called apical resection may be required. In this procedure, the root apex area of the tooth is accessed and infected tissues are removed. This way, the tooth's health can be preserved, and the risk of damaging surrounding tissues can be reduced.

How is apical resection performed?

Teeth with root apex inflammation can be treated using the apical resection method. During this procedure, the gum mucosa is cut to provide access to the root apex area, and infected tissues are removed. The canal filling at the root apex is sealed with a leak-proof tissue material, and the gum mucosa is sewn back together to complete the closure process. During the healing process, it should be ensured that all infected tissues have been completely removed, as this greatly affects the success rate of the procedure. With a successful apical resection procedure, the tooth can remain healthy in the mouth for many years without being extracted.