Wisdom Tooth

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars we have. Mostly grown in late teens or early twenties, wisdom teeth can both be a boon and a bane.

They can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often than not they may require removal. Misaligned teeth may position themselves horizontally, be angled towards or away from the other molars, or be angled inward or outward which leads to crowding or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone and/or nerves.

Wisdom teeth also can be impacted i.e. enclosed within the soft tissue and/or the jawbone or only partially erupt through the gum. Partial eruption allows bacteria to enter around the tooth resulting in infections, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness of the jaw, and general illness. These teeth are also more prone to tooth decay and gum diseases because their shape and awkward positioning makes brushing and flossing difficult.

How Do I Know if I Have Wisdom Teeth?

Ask your dentist about how your wisdom teeth are positioned. You may have to get an X-ray done periodically to evaluate whether you have your wisdom teeth and if you do, if they’re aligned properly or not. Your dentist may recommend that your wisdom teeth be extracted even before problems develop. This is essentially done to avoid a possibly more painful or more complicated extraction a few years later. Removal is easier in young people, when the bone density is less and teeth roots are not strong enough. Recovery and healing time tend to be longer in older patients.

How Are Wisdom Teeth Removed?

The relative ease at which your dentist can extract your wisdom teeth depends on how they are positioned and the stage of development of the tooth. A fully grown wisdom tooth erupted through the gum can be extracted easily. However, a wisdom tooth which is partially erupted maybe buried underneath the gums and embedded in the jawbone. Such cases might require an incision into the gums and then removal of the portion of bone that lies over the tooth. Often, the tooth is extracted in sections rather than in one piece to reduce the amount of bone that needs to be removed to get the tooth out.

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