Wisdom teeth are generally teeth that erupt after adulthood. If there is repeated inflammation, pain, etc., they must be removed. So what kind of wisdom teeth should be removed? What are the dangers of wisdom teeth? When is the best age to have wisdom teeth removed?
One, what are wisdom teeth?
It refers to the innermost third molar tooth on the alveolar bone in the human mouth, which is exactly the eighth tooth from the middle incisor. Because it emerges very late, at this time, people’s physical and psychological development are close to maturity, and it is a symbol of the arrival of wisdom, so it is commonly known as wisdom tooth. In the mouth of ordinary people, it is called “the end tooth”, and it often erupts during adolescence between the ages of 17 and 21. The eruption of wisdom teeth in modern people often causes various discomforts, resulting in impacted wisdom teeth.
01. Why are wisdom teeth impacted?
The food of ancient humans was relatively rough, and they needed to chew the food hard, so the jaws developed more plump, and there was enough space for their teeth; as the food of modern people became more and more refined, the food that needed to be chewed hard became more and more. Less, with the evolution of human beings, the degeneration of the jaws and the degeneration of the teeth are inconsistent, resulting in a relatively smaller bone mass than the teeth; when the second molars erupt, because the remaining jaw space cannot accommodate the third molars, the third molars eventually erupt. When sprouting occurs, it cannot sprouted or cannot sprouted to the normal position due to insufficient space.
02. Do wisdom teeth have to be removed? What harm will it do to the body if wisdom teeth are not removed?
We generally encounter wisdom tooth pericoronitis in clinical practice. To put it simply, the wisdom teeth are not fully erupted. A part of the soft tissue will cover the wisdom teeth, forming a special anatomical structure. We call it a blind bag. There is a lot of food and bacteria in the blind bag. When the patient’s resistance is weak, For example, when you have a cold, a fever, or even staying up late, or even under a lot of stress, you are prone to inflammation and pain in the blind pocket and surrounding soft tissues. This is the most common situation. In addition, the wisdom teeth are at the back of the mouth, which is not easy to clean, resulting in the accumulation of a large amount of food debris. In this case, it will cause the wisdom teeth themselves, including the adjacent teeth (second molars) next to the wisdom teeth, to decay. In some patients, with the eruption of wisdom teeth, there will also be crowded teeth and uneven dentition, which further leads to temporomandibular joint disorders. A small percentage of patients will also experience jaw cysts because the wisdom teeth are completely buried in the bone. These are the most common hazards of wisdom teeth.
Second, the sooner the wisdom teeth are extracted, the better. If a normal occlusal relationship can be established and the tooth tissue is healthy, extraction may not be performed. But for problematic wisdom teeth, the sooner the better, of course. If there are certain problems with the wisdom teeth, for example, the position is not correct, it cannot fully erupt, or the eruption position is too low or deviated, and the wisdom teeth have developed dental tissue diseases. It is generally not reserved for these cases and should be unplugged as soon as possible. If there are wisdom teeth in the opposite jaw, they should also be removed, otherwise the wisdom teeth in the opposite jaw will elongate.
03. When is the best age to remove wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are generally the last teeth to erupt in the oral cavity. Wisdom tooth crowns slowly form at the age of 12 to 16 years old, slowly erupt at the age of 17 to 21 years old, and slowly develop at the age of 18 to 25 years old. Then the advice we give is that the age of 17-25 is the best age for wisdom teeth extraction.
04. Can it be removed when pregnant?
During pregnancy, pregnant women with low immunity are most likely to cause gum inflammation, pulpitis, periodontitis, and tooth decay. Generally, it is not suitable for endodontic treatment in the first three months and the last three months of pregnancy, and some treatment can be done in the middle 3-6 months. When wisdom teeth hurt, you can first grind anti-inflammatory drugs into powder, and then apply them on the painful teeth to reduce inflammation, which can temporarily stop the pain. Always gargle with mouthwash or light salt water before and after applying the medicine.
In addition, the hormone levels of pregnant women change greatly during pregnancy, and wisdom teeth are more prone to pericoronitis. Some pregnant women are more worried about the impact of drugs on the fetus. At this time, most people choose not to use drugs. However, pregnant women have weak resistance, mild cases will be infected, and severe cases will develop sepsis and toxic shock. Medical treatment at this time is more complex and may be more damaging to the fetus. Therefore, it is recommended that an oral examination must be carried out before pregnancy, and if necessary, it will be removed.
3. What inspections and preparations should be done before wisdom teeth extraction?
Because of the need to face wound healing after tooth extraction, patients with serious blood diseases and diabetes are not suitable for tooth extraction. If you have other medical conditions, please inform your dentist in advance before wisdom tooth extraction. Dentists will use the most professional judgment from a doctor’s point of view.
Before wisdom teeth extraction, the general population should pay attention to: avoid the time of cold, fever and pericoronitis; do blood routine and coagulation function tests, and patients with systemic diseases should also do related indicators.
Four, 6 kinds of wisdom teeth are recommended to be removed
If the wisdom tooth grows in a normal position and direction, there is no tooth decay, the pericoronal soft tissue is not inflamed, and there is no history of pain, it is not necessary to remove it.
Wisdom tooth extraction is recommended in the following 6 situations: ① recurrent pericoronitis; ② wisdom tooth decay; ③ forward wisdom tooth; ④ non-aligned wisdom teeth;
