There are total of 32 teeth in a permanent dentition and 28 of them erupt before the age of 13. The remaining four are called the third molar (commonly referred to as wisdom teeth) and usually appear between the age of 18 – 25. They are called wisdom teeth because usually they come in when a person is old enough to have supposedly gained some wisdom. It is common that wisdom teeth not growing in the right place (which we called impacted wisdom teeth). Impacted wisdom teeth are prone to trap food remains and bacteria growth which can cause infection. It may lead to tooth decay of the adjacent teeth or other more serious complications in gum and jaw area e.g. cyst formation. Impacted wisdom teeth may also cause swelling, jaw stiffness, pus formation, serious pain,etc. Surgical removal of the wisdom tooth can prevent or resolve the problems.

Dentist nowadays often recommend removing potentially problematic wisdom teeth before there is cause for medical concern.

Most people have 32 teeth in the adult dentition, however, some people may have more than 32 teeth and this extra tooth is called “supernumerary tooth” (eg. supernumerary tooth). Many supernumerary teeth are impacted or never erupt, but they may affect the eruption of the nearby teeth, cause other dental problem or affect the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment. There is also risk of cystic change which may cause erosion of jaw bone and the adjacent teeth (eg. cyst & impacted tooth).

The supernumerary teeth will cause complication, which should be surgically removed. A dental examination by using X-rays can diagnose if you have supernumerary teeth and necessity for surgical extraction.

Intravenous Sedation VS Local Anaesthesia

We understand that no one enjoys dental visits. If you are requiring extensive dental treatment or suffering from dental phobia, we highly recommend having surgeries and dental treatment under intravenous (IV) sedation.

In general, minor oral surgery is able to perform under local anesthesia. Under local anesthesia, patient would not be able to feel pain as the surgical part would be numbed while retaining his or her consciousness. However, this is not an ideal way for patients who are having major dental surgeries (e.g. full mouth dental implant reconstruction, deeply impacted teeth) or dental phobia. Patients who undergo the procedure with local anesthesia could still feel the touch or movement during the surgery, as well as hearing sounds, which has already caused anxiety and discomfort for a lot of people.

Therefore, with our expertise, we provide a stress-free and safe surgery under intravenous sedation, which is performing in our office. You would be able to stay relax and feel comfortable during the dental procedure, and eventually get the perfect smile without any fear.

We could also arrange patients to have their dental treatment under general anesthesia in private hospitals if necessary (e.g. ST. Teresa Hospital).

Other Services

Contact us