In the innermost part of our mouth, we often sprout several teeth, which are called wisdom teeth. Some of these wisdom teeth cannot normally erupt into the mouth due to growth location, direction and other reasons, and are called impacted wisdom teeth. The existence of impacted wisdom teeth has confused many people, and does it need to be removed? Today, we will explore this question in detail.
What are impacted wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth usually refer to the third innermost molar on the alveolar bone in the human mouth, which is exactly the eighth tooth from the central incisor. Generally, wisdom teeth erupt between the ages of 16 and 35. Impacted wisdom teeth, in simple terms, is that wisdom teeth in the process of eruption, due to the obstruction of neighboring teeth, bone or soft tissue, can not normally erupt into the mouth, and its eruption position and direction are abnormal.
The shapes and positions of impacted wisdom teeth are varied. Some are horizontally impacted, and the wisdom tooth grows horizontally in the alveolar bone, like a “small shovel” placed horizontally, with the crown facing the neighboring tooth, often against the front tooth. Some are vertically impacted. Although wisdom teeth grow vertically, they cannot erupt completely due to insufficient space, and the crown is partially covered by the gum, forming a blind pocket. Other types are mesio-impacted, in which the crown of a wisdom tooth grows at an Angle to the tooth in front of it. These different types of impacted wisdom teeth affect our oral health to varying degrees.
What are the dangers of not removing impacted wisdom teeth
Causes pericoronitis of wisdom teeth
This is one of the most common hazards of impacted wisdom teeth. Because impacted wisdom teeth do not fully erupt, the crown is partially covered by the gum, forming a blind pocket between the gum and the crown. This blind bag is like a “dirty” pocket, food debris is easy to insert, and it is difficult to clean. Bacteria in the mouth thrive in this warm, moist and nutrient-rich environment, and when the body’s resistance is reduced, such as colds, excessive fatigue, staying up late, it is easy to cause pericoronitis of wisdom teeth.
When wisdom tooth pericoronitis attacks, patients will feel the gums around the wisdom tooth red swelling, pain, severe pain will radiate to the ear, temporal, resulting in restricted mouth, swallowing difficulties, and even fever, headache and other systemic symptoms. If not treated in time, the inflammation may spread, causing more serious complications such as perimaxillary cellulitis and osteomyelitis, causing great pain to patients.
It causes dental diseases in neighboring teeth
The abnormal growth direction of impacted wisdom teeth often compresses adjacent teeth. Long-term compression will lead to the absorption of the adjacent tooth roots, which will loosen and displace the adjacent teeth, and may even lead to the pulp lesion of the adjacent teeth. For example, horizontally impacted wisdom teeth will be tightly against the front teeth, and over time, the roots of the front teeth will gradually be absorbed, and the stability of the teeth will be affected. Moreover, because the gap between impacted wisdom teeth and neighboring teeth is difficult to clean, it is easy to accumulate food debris and bacteria, causing dental caries in neighboring teeth. Once there is a problem with the adjacent teeth, the treatment is often more complicated than simply dealing with the impacted wisdom teeth, which may require dental filling, root canal treatment, and even removal of the adjacent teeth, which will undoubtedly bring greater losses to the patient.
Causing occlusal disorders
A normal occlusal relationship is essential for chewing function and oral health. However, the presence of impacted wisdom teeth can tip the balance. If the impacted wisdom tooth erupts in an abnormal position, it may interfere with the normal occlusal relationship, resulting in an uneven force on the tooth during chewing. Long-term occlusal disorders may cause temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome, patients will have temporomandibular joint pain, snap, restricted mouth opening and other symptoms, not only affect the chewing function, but also cause a lot of inconvenience to daily life. For example, patients may feel discomfort when talking, laughing, or chewing food because of problems with the temporomandibular joint. Although this condition is relatively rare, impacted wisdom teeth exist for a long time, and under certain conditions, it is possible to form odontogenic cysts or tumors. For example, an odontogenic cyst develops as a result of fluid retention around the crown of an impacted wisdom tooth. The cyst will grow and press on the surrounding alveolar bone and soft tissue, leading to bone resorption and facial swelling. If the cyst becomes malignant and develops into a tumor, the consequences will be more serious, which will threaten the life and health of the patient. Therefore, for impacted wisdom teeth, we should not take it lightly and be alert to this potential risk.
The benefits of removing impacted wisdom teeth
Removal of impacted wisdom teeth can completely eliminate the root cause of recurrent pericoronitis of wisdom teeth. Once the wisdom tooth is removed, the blind pocket between the gum and the crown is no longer there, and food debris and bacteria have no hiding place, greatly reducing the chance of inflammation. For those patients who often suffer from pericoronitis of wisdom teeth, after the removal of wisdom teeth, they will bid farewell to the pain of red and swollen gums, pain, and restricted mouth opening, and return to normal diet and life. For example, a patient who previously suffered from pericoronitis of wisdom teeth every month, seriously affecting work and life, did not experience similar inflammation after the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, and the quality of life was significantly improved.
Protect the health of neighboring teeth
Timely removal of impacted wisdom teeth can prevent further damage to adjacent teeth. When the impacted wisdom tooth is removed, the adjacent tooth is no longer squeezed, the situation of root absorption stops, and the loosening and displacement of the tooth is controlled. At the same time, the hard-to-clean gap between the adjacent teeth and the wisdom teeth disappears, reducing the risk of dental caries in the adjacent teeth. By removing impacted wisdom teeth, we have successfully created a healthy living environment for the adjacent teeth, protecting the stability and integrity of the adjacent teeth. Many patients after the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, after a period of observation, found that the condition of the neighboring teeth gradually improved, and the originally loose neighboring teeth became more stable.
Normal occlusal relationship is restored
Removal of impacted wisdom teeth helps restore normal occlusal relationship. When abnormally erupting impacted wisdom teeth are removed, the alignment and occlusion of the teeth can be readjusted to a more ideal state. When chewing, the teeth are stressed more evenly, reducing the burden on the temporomandibular joint, and effectively preventing or relieving temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome. After the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, patients will find it easier to chew food after a period of adjustment, and the pain and snapping symptoms of the TMJ will gradually reduce or disappear. For example, a patient with temporomandibular joint disorder syndrome, after the removal of impacted wisdom teeth and a period of bite adjustment, significantly improved joint symptoms, was able to enjoy food normally, and life was more enjoyable.
Prevent the development of cysts or tumors
Removal of wisdom teeth is an effective preventive measure against the risk of cysts or tumors that may arise from impacted wisdom teeth. By early removal of impacted wisdom teeth, we can fundamentally prevent the occurrence of odontogenic cysts or tumors. This is of great significance for safeguarding oral health and even general health. Although the chance of forming a cyst or tumor is relatively low, once it does occur, the treatment process is often complex and painful, and can take a great toll on the patient both physically and psychologically. Therefore, preventive removal of impacted wisdom teeth is a wise choice to nip potential risks in the bud.
Timing and precautions for removal of impacted wisdom teeth.In general, if the impacted wisdom tooth has already appeared the above hazards, such as repeatedly causing wisdom tooth pericoronitis, causing adjacent dental changes, affecting the occlusal relationship, etc., it should be considered for removal. For those who have no obvious symptoms, but have been found by oral X-ray to have serious and potentially harmful wisdom teeth, it is also recommended to remove them at an appropriate time. For example, the wisdom tooth is horizontally impacted and closely related to the neighboring tooth, although there is no pain and other symptoms, but over time, it is likely to cause damage to the neighboring tooth, in which case you can choose to remove.
During a woman’s period, due to changes in the body’s hormone levels, tooth extraction can lead to increased bleeding, increased pain, and an increased risk of postoperative infection, so it is generally not recommended to remove teeth during this period. In addition, if the patient has a serious systemic disease, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, blood system diseases, etc., the condition needs to be stable, evaluated and approved by the doctor in the relevant department before the extraction surgery. For example, patients with hypertension need to control their blood pressure within a certain range, and patients with diabetes need to control their blood sugar smoothly before they can consider tooth extraction to ensure the safety of surgery.
Matters needing attention
Before removing impacted wisdom teeth, patients need to undergo a comprehensive oral examination, including oral X-ray or CT examination, to understand the location, shape, and relationship with surrounding tissues, etc., so as to provide a basis for doctors to make surgical plans. Patients should truthfully tell their medical history, allergy history and other information to the doctor so that the doctor can prepare accordingly.
After tooth extraction, the patient needs to hold the cotton ball for 30 to 40 minutes to play the role of pressure and bleeding. On the day of tooth extraction, soft food should be taken, the food should not be overheated, avoid chewing on the side of the tooth extraction, and do not gargle or spit frequently, so as not to cause the blood clot in the tooth extraction wound to fall off, leading to bleeding or dry slot. Within 24 hours after extraction, the wound may have a small amount of blood, this is a normal phenomenon, do not be too alarmed. If more bleeding, should be timely return to the doctor.
The wound will gradually heal after tooth extraction, generally in about a week, the initial healing of the wound, patients can brush their teeth normally, but pay attention to gentle movements, avoid touching the wound. Before the wound is completely healed, you should avoid eating hard and sticky food to avoid affecting the healing of the wound. If there are abnormal conditions such as increased pain, fever, and obvious swelling after tooth extraction, you should seek medical attention in time so that the doctor can handle it accordingly.
Conclusion
Whether impacted wisdom teeth need to be removed needs to be considered by a variety of factors. Failure to remove impacted wisdom teeth may lead to pericoronitis of wisdom teeth, adjacent dental lesions, occlusal disorders, and even cysts or tumors, which seriously affect oral health and general health. The removal of impacted wisdom teeth can eliminate the hidden danger of inflammation, protect the health of adjacent teeth, restore the normal occlusal relationship, and prevent the occurrence of cysts or tumors. Therefore, removal is a wise choice for most impacted wisdom teeth, especially those that are symptomatic or potentially harmful. However, when removing impacted wisdom teeth, it is necessary to choose the right time and pay attention to the relevant matters before and after surgery to ensure the smooth progress of tooth extraction surgery and good wound healing. If you are confused about your impacted wisdom teeth, it is recommended to consult a professional dentist who will provide you with the most appropriate advice and treatment options based on your specific situation.
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