Wisdom teeth – a brief introduction
The last set of adult teeth that erupts or grows in are called wisdom teeth. a wisdom tooth is also called third molar. These teeth are located at the extreme back of the mouth. In many cases the wisdom teeth or third molars erupt smoothly without causing any problem. But those are rare happenings. Usually a wisdom tooth while erupting gets stuck in the gums or the jawbone. Thus it cannot grow in or erupt. In dental terms the condition is called impacted wisdom teeth or tooth. This often results in a disaster. An impacted wisdom tooth usually results infection. Moreover chances of cavities and even gum disease cannot be ruled out. There can be other dental issues too as a result of this condition. Considering all these problems dentists recommend extracting the wisdom teeth to avoid all the complications.
Now are you wondering whether you will develop an infection from the wisdom teeth? Highly trained and experienced dentists based in London suggest as such you may not worry about it. This is because everyone does not develop wisdom teeth. Some people develop these teeth while others do not. Both the phenomena are absolutely normal.
Why do wisdom teeth erupt?
When then the wisdom teeth come out in their proper positions they provide support to the back of the mouth. Moreover these teeth even contribute to preserving the bones of the jaws. But in reality there is no need for the wisdom teeth. Yes, there is absolutely no need for the wisdom teeth to erupt. These are basically vestigial body parts. In elaborate words these teeth – like any other vestigial organ in our body – served a purpose at one point of time in the long past. At present they do not have any function.
Early man maintained a primitive diet. The diet consisted to raw plants, roots of certain plants and raw meats of animals. During those times the wisdom teeth were essential to grind the tough foods to ensure proper digestion. At present we do not lead that kind of primitive life any more. More importantly we eat cooked food and use utensils to eat foods in. these factors have eliminated the need of wisdom teeth. to accommodate with all these changes even our jaws are now much smaller compared to our ancestors. This is the reason most people do have enough room in their jaws to accommodate the wisdom teeth to erupt explains a dentist having years of experience in providing pericoronitis treatment in London.
The location of the wisdom teeth in the mouth
The wisdom teeth come in at the extreme end of the jaws. The teeth come in behind the second molars. Ideally there is a wisdom tooth in each quadrant of the mouth. Therefore, you should have 4 wisdom teeth to raise in the corners of your mouth. The four defined corners are the upper left, the upper right, the lower left, and the lower right.
The number of wisdom teeth people usually has
According to an extensive study only about 52% of people in the world have at least one wisdom tooth in their mouth. On the other hand a large number of people do not have a single wisdom tooth erupted in their jaws.
The shape, size and appearance of a wisdom tooth
A wisdom tooth is no different from any of the other molars in your mouth in terms of shape, size and appearance. Usually there are two to three roots although some people have all the four. It is significant to note that the shape of these dental roots vary from person to person. Usually, these dental roots are fused together thus giving the appearance of a big root in the shape of the cone. Otherwise the individual roots may curl or even splay out freely in various directions explains a dentist with years of experience in providing wisdom tooth infection treatment.
When do the wisdom teeth erupt?
Usually the wisdom teeth grow in within the age range of 17 to 25. A wisdom tooth that is fully impacted may not be visible when one looks into your mouth or stand in front of the mirror.
The first signs that the wisdom teeth are coming in
When a wisdom tooth is about to erupt there are a few sure shot signs or symptoms. These include the following –
- The jaw may become little tender
- You may even experience some pain in the jaw
- There could also be swelling and redness in the gums behind the last molar
In many cases people complain about pain in the face as well during wisdom tooth eruption. This occurs because the erupting tooth puts pressure on the facial nerves. There could even be white flecks behind the last molars. In most cases this is the top of the new erupting tooth.
Conditions that affect eruption of the wisdom tooth
When a wisdom tooth does not erupt properly you may have to experience complications. In other words complications develop when there is an impacted wisdom tooth. Complications in these cases mostly include mild to severe pain, formation of cyst
- Mild to severe pain
- Formation of cyst and tumour
- Formation of tooth cavity
- Triggering of gum disease and
- Damage to the teeth nearby
In addition to the symptoms mentioned above even the condition of wisdom tooth infection cannot be ruled out.
Common ways to deal with complications related to wisdom teeth
Dentists all over the world have a typical way of dealing with wisdom teeth cases. They prefer extracting the tooth to give you relief from all the difficulties and complications that a wisdom tooth may experience you through. The treatment procedure of tooth extraction is generally carried out in the clinic chair of a dentist. The treatment procedure requires you to undergo calm to ease the pain and uneasiness.
Wisdom teeth do not offer a lot of biting and chewing power. As a vestigial organ there is no need to replace the wisdom teeth once the Thousand Smiles dentists removes those from your mouth.
Is it necessary to get the wisdom teeth extracted?
There is absolutely zero necessary to extract a wisdom tooth under normal conditions, that is if it does not cause pain or any other complication. You should talk to your dentist to know whether you can keep your wisdom teeth.
Do wisdom teeth erupt again after extraction?
When a wisdom tooth is extracted there is no way for it to grow back. If you experience any infected wisdom tooth symptoms make sure to see a dentist right away.
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