Wisdom teeth are the third molars. Generally all of us will have four of them. They appear around 18 to 21-years of age but quite often they appear later because they are delayed somehow, usually by impaction.

This is to say the wisdom teeth develop in an angulated position as they have no proper space to erupt properly. Being the very last tooth in the back of one's mouth they are notoriously difficult to keep clean and when impacted in an angulated position it is much worse. Infection of the surrounding soft tissues is the most common problem but there can also be decay occurring behind the second molar or on the wisdom molar itself,causing pain or destroying a tooth that is useful to you.

Sometimes the pain goes away but is bound to return with more frequency and intensity usually at the most inconvenient time like during an exam or on an overseas trip. This indicates that one should not wait any longer. Sometimes the infection is so bad it can begin to choke off one's air supply at the throat. Occasionally the infection spreads to the face and swells up. The pain of the infection prevents the full opening of ones mouth making eating and swallowing difficult.

Generally most wisdom teeth will need to be removed eventually and usually by surgery. In our clinic a specialist Oral Surgeon will be consulted to perform the necessary operation to remove the offending tooth, usually under Local Anaesthetic and occasionally under Intra Venous Sedation where a Specialist Anesthesiologist is called to attend the surgery.

Symptoms of infected Wisdom tooth:

• Bad breath
• Difficulty opening the mouth (occasionally)
• Pain or tenderness of the gums (gingiva) or jaw bone
• Prolonged jaw ache
• Swelling/abscess of the gums around the impacted tooth
• Swollen lymph nodes of the neck (occasionally)
• Unpleasant taste when biting down on or near the area
• (Dental x-rays needed to confirm the presence of impacted teeth)

Most of the time, one of the most common questions patients like to ask is that "Is the surgery painful?". Well, honestly speaking, any forms of surgery would carry a slight tinge of discomfort. However, do rest assured that because there is Local Anaesthetic being applied, the patient should not feel any pain or discomfort during the surgery. It is only after the surgery and the anesthetic has wear off that the patient may feel a slight discomfort. If you are looking for a dental clinic in Singapore doing wisdom teeth removal, one of the more important factor is to engage a dental surgeon that you're comfortable with.

Lam Dental Surgery was started in 1971 by Prof. Ronald V Lam after leaving the Dental Faculty, University of Singapore and was located at the previous Specialists Center, Hotel Phoenix where now Orchard 313 stands. Prof. Lam specialized in removable denture prosthodontics and received his post graduate training in Ohio State University.

In 1985 Dr. Andre Lam joined our clinic and expanded its facilities. Two years later in 1987 Dr. Bernice Chow and Dr. Ho Soo Herng joined this enlarged practice.

By 1997 Lam Dental Surgery had to find a more suitable location and moved to Orchard Building opposite Orchard Cineleisure where it is still located. Dr. JoAnne Lam a Specialist Endodontist joined our clinic in 2007 to provide expert root canal treatment for an ever burgeoning clientele. In 2008 Dr. Glaphyra Lim joined our clinic and together Lam Dental Surgery aims to provide the highest standard of straight forward, trustworthy dental care to our patients.