Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to grow in the back of the mouth. The third molars usually will try to grow in at around age 17 to 21 years. Since that is considered to be the age when people become wiser, third molars gained the nickname, "wisdom teeth."

Actually, they are no different than any other tooth except that they are the last teeth to erupt, or grow into the mouth. They are just as useful as any other tooth if they grow in properly, have a proper bite relationship and have healthy gum tissue around them. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.

Common reasons for wisdom teeth removal include impaction, pain and crowding of the other teeth. Complications also can arise when wisdom teeth partially erupt. The broken gum acts as a breeding ground for bacteria.

Unless they grow in properly, third molars should be evaluated for extraction before complications arise.

Dental Sealants

By age 19, tooth decay affects nearly 70 percent of America's children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Left untreated, tooth decay, also known as cavities, may result in pain and infection. Surveys show the majority of all cavities occur in the narrow pits and grooves of a child's newly erupted teeth because food particles and bacteria are not easily cleaned out.

One highly effective option to help prevent cavities is dental sealants – a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surface of teeth. Dental sealants have been proven a safe and cost-efficient dental procedure for patients prone to cavities. Sealants act as a barrier to "seal-off" space between the tooth surface and any small food particles or bacteria that may otherwise cause a cavity in an "unsealed" tooth.

Paired with twice-daily brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste, a healthy diet and visiting the dentist twice a year to monitor the sealants' placement or bond on the tooth, properly applied dental sealants are 100-percent effective in preventing cavities.