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Wisdom Tooth Guide

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that is most individuals appear in their late teens or early twenties. They are very large molars, designed to help us chew raw foods and tear meat from bones, Some people do not get wisdom teeth, while others do not get a full set of both upper and lower molars.

Why are Wisdom Teeth Often Extracted?
Wisdom tooth extraction is now almost a right of passage for teenagers. Most dentists in the US will extract them, almost as a matter of course. In Europe, for example in the UK, wisdom teeth are often left in. Sometimes the wisdom teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often, they are misaligned and require removal for a variety of different reasons.

Wisdom Tooth Problems

Wisdom teeth present potential problems when they do not come in straight - they can position themselves horizontally, be angled toward or away from the second molars or be angled inward or outward.

Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. Wisdom teeth that lean toward the second molars make those teeth more vulnerable to decay by entrapping plaque and debris. In addition, wisdom teeth can be entrapped completely within the soft tissue and/or the jawbone or only partially break through or erupt through the gum.

What are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Teeth that remain partially or completely entrapped within the soft tissue and /or the jawbone are termed "impacted." Wisdom teeth that only partially erupt allows for an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. Partially erupted teeth are also more prone to tooth decay and gum disease because their hard-to-reach location and awkward positioning makes brushing and flossing difficult.

Why are impacted Wisdom Teeth a Problem?

Wisdom teeth present lots of problems if they don't come in straight. If your dentist evaluates your wisdom teeth and find that the mouth will be crowded, or that the teeth are impacted or pushing against the adjacent molars, then its probably time to have them extracted.

If you leave these wisdom teeth in, they are almost bound to cause problems later in life. The impacted wisdom teeth are hard to reach and right at the very back of the mouth. It makes a perfect site for dental bacteria to grow. Not only will this affect your wisdom tooth, it will allow the bacteria to spread to other parts of your mouth.

Your dentist or oral surgeon may recommend that your wisdom teeth be extracted even before problems develop. This is done to avoid a more painful or more complicated extraction that might have to be done a few years later. Removal is easier in young people, when the wisdom teeth roots are not yet fully developed and the bone is less dense.

If the wisdom teeth are left in place the chances are that they will need to be removed when the cause problems in the patients 30's, 40's or even 50's. At that age removal of these large teeth can cause nerve damage and is generally a much more difficult operation.

How easy are they to remove?

The ease of removal depends on various factors, The top wisdom teeth have shallower roots and tend to be easier to remove. If the tooth has fully erupted through the gum, it can be removed by your general dentist without difficulty. Your dentist will have to apply some force to the removal. These are big, powerful teeth.

A wisdom tooth that is underneath the gums and embedded in the jawbone will require an incision into the gums and then removal of the portion of bone that lies over the tooth. An impacted tooth at the bottom of the jaw may well require an oral surgeon. The critical thing here is to ensure that the surgery does not interfere with the nerves. One complication is often bruising of the nerve from extraction called paresthesia, which can even result in a severed nerve. The surgeon will have to go deep to extract the long roots, and will have to take the utmost care. If you are feeling numbness and a strange sensation in the tongue or chin days later, you may well have paresthesia.

When should wisdom teeth be removed?
The following symptoms may indicate that the wisdom teeth have erupted and surfaced, and should be removed before they become impacted -- meaning, the teeth have surfaced and have no room in the mouth to grow. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

Symptoms may include:

• pain - click here for how to deal with wisdom teeth pain
• infection in the mouth
• facial swelling
• swelling of the gum-line in the back of the mouth

Most oral health specialists will recommend an immediate removal of the wisdom teeth, as early removal will help to eliminate problems, such as an impacted tooth that destroys the second molar.

Why are our jaws too small for Wisdom Teeth?

Our ancestors ate a largely raw diet that was rich in bone, minerals and vitamin rich foods. Over the centuries our soft processed diet has resulted in smaller jaw bones, which disrupt the perfect arch seen in many native peoples.