Wisdom Teeth

The teeth which grow at the back of the mouth behind the molars are known as the wisdom teeth. There are about four wisdom teeth, with two each on the upper and lower jaw. They are considered evolutionary vestiges which are no more useful for contemporary human beings. 

Wisdom teeth often develop in a crooked manner, sideways, or are otherwise not aligned properly. As they start growing, they start pushing the other teeth, causing problems such as overcrowding and misalignment. With modern developments in oral hygiene and diets, these teeth seem redundant, but still, they grow in. A normal person's mouth has space for about 28 teeth, including the wisdom teeth. But we have a total of 32 teeth which end up creating problems for human beings as they start competing for the extra space.

When do the wisdom teeth start growing?

The wisdom teeth start growing between the ages of 17 and 21 years of age. The roots are not completely developed, and the surrounding bones are also a lot softer when they are young. There is also no risk of nerve damage. But as you age, the roots also continue to grow, thus making the extraction of the wisdom tooth more complicated. Hence it's best to have it removed at a young age to avoid surgery at a later stage of life. 

What are the indications of wisdom tooth pain?

• The first symptom of wisdom tooth pain begins with discomfort and pain at the back of the mouth, just behind the molars. As the wisdom tooth begins to grow, the pain will increase gradually. The tooth continues to grow in misaligned or sideways and will start pressing on nerves and bones, thus crowding the adjoining teeth.
• Other symptoms include pain, redness, tenderness, and swelling of the gums. 
• As wisdom tooth begins erupting through the gums' surface, the bacteria enter through the open tissue causing infection. Such bacterial infections can affect the general health of a person.  
• The wisdom tooth can also become impacted, a condition in which the jaw bone or surrounding teeth stop the tooth's eruption. The longer the tooth remains impacted, the more likely it is to cause other oral ailments. The impacted tooth can give rise to severe pain at the back of the mouth, infections, and other difficulties. It can also cause bad breath, redness, and swelling of the gums.

How can the wisdom tooth problem be resolved?

In most cases, the wisdom tooth problems can be resolved only with its extraction. A dentist performs the extraction under local anesthesia. If the wisdom tooth has already erupted through the gum's surface, it can be easily extracted, just like the normal tooth extraction. However, the extraction procedure is a bit more complex in the case of the impacted tooth. In such instances, a small incision is made through the gum's surface above the tooth, and any bone covering it has to be removed. Then the wisdom tooth is removed by ensuring the unnecessary cutting of the bone or risking the nerves and fragile tissues. The extraction of a wisdom tooth is the best option to avoid problems in the future.

Call us at West Valley Natural Dentistry or schedule an online appointment to know more about Wisdom Teeth.