What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth also known as third
molars are usually the last teeth to come out in the mouth. These teeth usually
erupt between 18-25 years of age.
Does everyone have all 4 wisdom teeth?
Absolutely no. Some people have
all four wisdom teeth while some may have all four wisdom teeth missing. These
teeth may be completely missing from the mouth or may fail to erupt due to lack
of space. Others may have one to four wisdom teeth.
Why do wisdom tooth become impacted?
Due to change in our dietary
habits (Changing over to sugary, refined diet from coarse diet of fruits and
vegetable), the functional stimulation needed for jaw growth has reduced. This
leads to insufficient growth of jaws. Therefore the teeth which are last to
erupt (wisdom teeth) are left with insufficient space. They therefore might not
erupt altogether or impact on neighboring teeth and become impacted.
When is extraction recommended for wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are recommended for extraction
when
they develop a cavity
they are putting pressure on the neighboring
teeth causing pain
they have erupted in an aberrant
position causing cheek biting
Surgical vs Non-surgical wisdom tooth extraction
Wisdom teeth sometimes erupt at
aberrant places or is completely impacted/impinging on neighboring tooth or
might be broken to a high extent. In such cases it is advisable to go in for a
surgical extraction wherein a gum flap is excised to expose the tooth and the
bone around the tooth is removed to free the tooth. This way the tooth can be
safely extracted with least damage to the adjacent tooth and other vital
structures.
Are wisdom tooth extractions very painful?
The procedure is carried out
under local anesthesia, so the procedure itself is non–painful. Any tooth extraction
including that of wisdom tooth is associated with post-operative pain that is
perfectly controlled by medications.
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