How they emerge differs with the individual. Nonetheless, Fred Quarnstrom, DDS from the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology, explains wisdom teeth may only partially erupt, or even stay buried within the gum tissue. Teeth that don't appear and remain covered by this tissue or bone are called "impacted.
Because wisdom teeth cause so many problems and are not really needed for chewing, doctors speculate about their function. Throughout most of human history, the typical diet was abrasive to teeth. Under the circumstances, wisdom teeth may have been useful in the past for replacing molars that had become worn out. Now that diets are softer, teeth don't do this as quickly, and there are no gaps for wisdom teeth to fill.
Quarnstrom states there is also some evidence modern jaws are smaller than those of prehistoric humans.
When to see a dentist
Problems with wisdom teeth primarily include pain and discomfort, infections, gum disease and tooth decay. Some of these are due to the difficulty brushing so far back in the mouth. Other serious effects of impacted wisdom teeth occur when cysts form below the teeth.
These cysts can cause loss of bone in the jaw, and put pressure on the jaw's nerves. Problems with wisdom teeth usually end with their removal. Dentists often prefer to remove wisdom teeth when patients are in their late teens or early 20s, before they cause problems. At this age, wisdom teeth's roots have not solidified in the jaw bone, and are easier to remove than in older patients. Removing wisdom teeth later in life also carries a slightly higher risk of damage to a major nerve in the jaw, called the inferior alveolar nerve.
Younger patients often recover from sedation faster, as well. Adolescents wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances, according to Busaidy, often have their wisdom teeth removed at the end of their treatment. This is because emerging wisdom teeth can alter tooth alignment after they have been straightened.
So, what is a wisdom tooth? It has nothing to do with growing wiser — only growing older. If your wisdom teeth give you pain or discomfort, see your dentist.
Wisdom tooth removal - NHS
Early treatment greatly reduces your risk of bigger problems later. If you've had or need to have your wisdom teeth extracted, find out more about wisdom teeth recovery in the Colgate Oral Care Resources. This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.
Wisdom teeth are the third and last molars on each side of the upper and lower jaws. They are also the final teeth to erupt; they usually appear when a person is in their late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth that only partially emerge or come in crooked can also lead to painful crowding and disease. Because teeth removed before age 20 have less developed roots and fewer complications, the American Dental Association recommends that people between 16 and 19 have their wisdom teeth evaluated to see if they need to be removed.
If the wisdom teeth are impacted and embedded in the bone, the oral surgeon will put an incision into the gums and remove the tooth or teeth in sections in order to minimize the amount of bone being removed. Wisdom teeth can be removed under local anaesthesia, or general anaesthesia.
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In either case, the surgical procedure involved is the same. Your specialist will generally offer both options, unless there's a particular reason to not proceed with one or the other. General anaesthetic is performed in a day surgery or hospital and involves a specialist anaesthetist to put you to sleep using medications through a drip. As a result, you will not be awake for the procedure nor remember any associated discomfort. A general anaesthetic is very safe and commonly used for minor operations, but they do require you to be fasted for at least six hours before the operation, and you may experience some drowsiness, nausea, or lethargy for 24 hours afterwards.
Depending on your medical status and conditions, you may not be suitable for general anaesthetic. Local anaesthetic involves the administration of dental injections to numb the tooth and surrounding tissues. While the dental injections may cause some minor discomfort initially, the procedure is painless, but you may still feel vibration and hear noises associated with the dental instruments. But no general anaesthetic means no associated side effects, so most people can return to their usual duties shortly after the procedure.
Local anaesthetic may not be suitable in complex or difficult cases, or if you suffer from severe anxiety visiting the dentist. So if you're experiencing any pain in your jaw, talk to your dentist.
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She will be able to assess your wisdom teeth and order an X-ray, reassure you if everything is normal, or refer you to a specialist if needed. Do wisdom teeth have to be removed? Please sign in to add a comment.
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Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. June 20, Should you have a wisdom tooth removed if it is not causing you any pain? Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Hossein Ghaeminia of Radboud university medical center researched the risk of complications when removing these teeth. Why do we have wisdom teeth? December 2, Were wisdom teeth ever good for anything? Childhood anesthesia may thwart the development of those often pesky third molars March 24, Extracting a wisdom tooth is no small deal.
The procedure involves anesthesia, surgery, lost time from work and—of course—an uncomfortable recovery. Dental anesthesia may interrupt development of wisdom teeth in children April 3, Researchers from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine have discovered a statistical association between the injection of local dental anesthesia given to children ages two to six and evidence of missing lower wisdom Treatment for rare complication of wisdom tooth removal November 11, When a patient has their wisdom teeth extracted, surgeons provide information about what to expect post-operatively, as well as potential complications that may occur from the surgery.
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