Do We Need Our Wisdom Teeth? Article

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Do We Need Our Wisdom Teeth?

Author: Sara Goldstein

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Your wisdom teeth, also called your third molars, are the final teeth to come in. They often erupt between the ages of 17 and 25, and are unnecessary. Not only are these teeth unneeded, they can be detrimental to your oral health. A dental evaluation can determine whether your wisdom teeth are coming in right, or whether they are going to be problematic.

Wisdom tooth development

Tooth development, from baby primary teeth to permanent teeth, takes place in an organized fashion, over a number of years. Your first molar will erupt around age 6, and the second around age 12. Wisdom teeth begin forming around your 10th birthday and are the last set of molars to develop. Therefore they do not typically erupt until your late teens and early 20s. Since this is the age that people are said to become wiser, the set of third molars have been dubbed your “wisdom teeth.”

Some people never get their wisdom teeth. For those who do, the number that erupt can be anywhere from one to four; on rare occasions more than four. Scientists and researchers can not yet explain why the number of teeth differs for each person.

Removal

Many people do not have a problem with their wisdom teeth, aside from little discomfort as these third molars break through the gum. However, wisdom teeth can be very problematic for others. For example, if you have a small mouth and jaw, there may not be enough room for your wisdom teeth to fit. This can cause pain as they try to squeeze in at the back of your mouth. If this is the case, as your wisdom teeth try to break through your gums, they may push your other teeth out of alignment, making it hard to bite and chew. Problematic wisdom teeth can also create:

•Headaches
•Jaw pain
•Sinus pain

On very rare occasions, a cyst (fluid filled sac) may form in the soft tissue that surrounds your wisdom tooth. These cysts can result in bone destruction, jaw expansion, or damage to your surrounding teeth. In severe cases, tumors can even develop in the cysts.

Surgery

Your cosmetic dentist or oral surgeon will examine your mouth, teeth and gums to see if your wisdom teeth may pose a problem. He or she will examine the X-rays and may recommend having them surgically removed or leaving the teeth alone. Sometimes they will recommend removing only the teeth that seem as though they will cause a problem.

If surgery is recommended, you will be advised to have them removed sooner than later. This is because it is easier to have your third molars removed when your bony structures are still fairly soft. The older you get, the harder your bones become and the more difficult it is to have them extracted. You will also recover more quickly while you are a teenager and have less risk of complications as opposed to having the surgery in your later 20s.

The downside of having your wisdom teeth removed is that the surgery may be unnecessary, especially if these third molars are not over crowding your mouth or causing an infection. There are patients who develop wisdom teeth that function just as their other molars do. However, no one can predict whether complications will arise from your wisdom teeth erupting. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons estimates that about 85 percent of wisdom teeth will need to be removed eventually.

About Author

If your wisdom teeth are beginning to come in, or you are between the ages of 17 and 25, you should have a dental exam to see if your wisdom teeth should be removed. If you live in the Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin, Nevada areas, please visit the Web site for Exceptional Dentistry.

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