FAQs on Minor Oral Surgery

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• Why are third molars called wisdom teeth?

  • Because at the time they erupt, usually starting from 17-21​ years old, men and women of such age have gained enough knowledge and are 'wiser' then they were when the other teeth erupted.

• What are impacted teeth? odontectomy?

  • Any teeth that have not come out onto its correct position is said to be impacted. Odontectomy is the procedure of removing impacted teeth. The most common teeth to become impacted are the lower third molars (wisdom tooth), lower premolars, and upper canines.

• Why should i have my wisdom teeth removed?

  • The most basic reason is prophylactic. Food can usually get stuck in between an impacted and exposed wisdom teeth and the 2nd molar.

  • Even if the wisdom teeth have come out, since they are the backmost teeth, they are difficult to clean. When they decay, it could spread to the neighboring 2nd molars, and eventually you might need to take out 2 teeth instead of 1.

  • Also the cells forming the wisdom teeth can undergo cystic transformation, engulfing it along with adjacent bone and teeth.

• How is the procedure done?​ How long does it usually take?

  • Case to case basis but usually within 1-2 hours.

• Will i feel pain?​

  • You will feel pain after the anesthetic wears off. ​

• I have heard of patients dying from wisdom tooth removal, is this procedure dangerous?​

  • You may have read news of patients dying from this procedure, mostly from outside the PH. It is common practice for Western countries to undergo general anesthesia for minor oral surgery. Most of the time, cause of patient's death are related to the general anesthesia itself. ​

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• What are fibromas?​

  •  Fibromas are benign tumors that are composed of fibrous or connective tissue

• How do they form in the mouth?

  • ​ The usual cause are ill fitting denture. They are also called Epulis Fissuratum. It forms as the loose denture slide along the gumpads, causing small folds of gum tissue to form. With time, the folds can grow bigger, eventually affecting the fit of the denture.

• Will they cause cancer?

  • Epulis Fissuratum fibromas are usually benign and painless. If the specimen looks unusual, it can be sent to a medical laboratory for histopathologi​c examination.

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• What is frenectomy?​

  • The fiber attaching​ the lips to your gums are called frenums.

• Why are they removed?​

  • In some cases, the frenum grow a bit bigger eventually holding a big space open in the middle of the incisors. They​ need to be removed in case the patient decides to close the space via orthodontic treatment.

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