Biomaterial Database

The impacted lower wisdom tooth: to remove or to leave alone? 1994

P D Robinson

UMDS, London.

The management of impacted third molars, particularly the indications for their removal, is judged against a constantly changing climate of professional opinion, public attitudes to treatment and the funding of healthcare. These changes highlight the practitioner's dilemma: to remove an impacted wisdom tooth or to leave well alone? This article discusses the indications for and risks of wisdom tooth removal, and suggests guidelines for dealing with the dilemma.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008964	Molar, Third	The aftermost permanent tooth on each side in the maxilla and mandible.	Tooth, Wisdom,Teeth, Wisdom,Molars, Third,Third Molar,Third Molars,Wisdom Teeth,Wisdom Tooth
D010347	Patient Care Planning	Usually a written medical and nursing care program designed for a particular patient.	Nursing Care Plans,Goals of Care,Plans, Nursing Care,Care Goal,Care Goals,Care Plan, Nursing,Care Planning, Patient,Care Plans, Nursing,Nursing Care Plan,Plan, Nursing Care,Planning, Patient Care
D003657	Decision Making	The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea.	Credit Assignment,Assignment, Credit,Assignments, Credit,Credit Assignments
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014081	Tooth Extraction	The surgical removal of a tooth. (Dorland, 28th ed)	Extraction, Tooth,Extractions, Tooth,Tooth Extractions
D014095	Tooth, Impacted	A tooth that is prevented from erupting by a physical barrier, usually other teeth. Impaction may also result from orientation of the tooth in an other than vertical position in the periodontal structures.	Teeth, Impacted,Impacted Teeth,Impacted Tooth
D015995	Prevalence	The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time.	Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences