Expertise: Oral surgery

This young lady came to see Mr Elledge with a problematic wisdom tooth that was becoming recurrently infected, needing multiple courses of antibiotics. After a careful consultation and thorough examination, it was clear that something needed to be done.

Radiographs showed that the inferior alveolar nerve (supplying feeling to the lip and chin) was quite close to the wisdom tooth in question. Mr Elledge arranged for further imaging in the form of a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan. This keeps the radiation dose as low as possible, whilst providing excellent resolution images of the nerve and tooth relationship.

A discussion followed about possible options, one of which is a coronectomy. This is a procedure whereby the crown of the wisdom tooth is removed but the roots are left behind, buried beneath the bone. The aim is to minimise the risk of nerve injury in patients where imaging shows a high likelihood of damage from conventional surgery. This lady felt a little bit too anxious to tolerate treatment awake, so we elected for a day case general anaesthetic, performing surgery asleep at Spire Parkway Hospital in Solihull, with beautiful rooms, delicious food and peaceful surroundings.

The result? A happy patient who is pain free with a lovely result on the post-operative radiograph. Smiles all around!

If you have a tricky impacted tooth and have been told by your dentist that there is a risk of nerve injury, get in touch today. Seamless planning, new techniques and a careful approach can make all the difference.