Treatments

Approximately 3-5% of the population have impacted teeth other than wisdom teeth. This means that they stay buried and unerupted or partially erupted. The commonest tooth to be affected is the upper canine.

Some teeth have large roots in solid bone and can be extensively broken down and decayed. They may have been root canal treated which can make the roots more brittle and difficult to remove.

Cysts of the jaws are quite a rare finding but do of course occur and are assessed carefully with X-rays and 3D scans. The usual treatment is enucleation (removal) of the cyst.

Various lumps and bumps do occur in the mouth. The vast majority of these are benign and harmless although they do need to be removed in most cases. Biopsies are carried out under local anaesthetic.

Implants have revolutionised dentistry in the last thirty years. A missing tooth can now be replaced by a titanium implant.

Extraction of wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, is a dental procedure to remove these particular teeth.