wisdom teeth
Stony Brook Oral and Facial Surgery



Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, commonly erupt between the ages of 15-24. If there is room in the patient's mouth to accommodate them, then there is no reason for their removal. If, however, any of the following conditions exist, consideration should be given for removal under local anesthesia or IV sedation.

  • Partial or complete impaction
  • Infection
  • Poor angulation
  • Risk of periodontal disease
  • Cyst or tumor development
There are some cases where the lower wisdom tooth so close to the nerve (inferior alveolar nerve) that removal may put the nerve at risk of injury. When this is the case, we may elect to perform a coronectomy, where only a portion of the tooth is removed in order to achieve our goal of treating one of the above conditions while protecting the nerve.





STONY BROOK ORAL & FACIAL SURGERY

Specializing in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery