Wisdom
teeth are the third set of molars, and the last set of teeth to develop. They
get their name from the time they erupt: typically in the late teens and into
the twenties. A small part of the population will never get their wisdom teeth,
but most individuals do.
If wisdom
teeth fully develop, they can have a negative impact on your beautiful smile.
Often times, wisdom teeth cause crowding which can be painful. If this is the
case, your dentist may suggest to have some or all of your wisdom teeth
extracted.
Continue reading to find out why wisdom teeth can become so
bothersome.
Why do we have wisdom
teeth?
Anthropologists
believe that evolution is to blame. Eons ago, man used his wisdom teeth to chew
through coarse plants and meats. Today, wisdom teeth are no longer necessary,
because humans have learned to use utensils to cut their food.
Impact on the mouth
Most of the
time, wisdom teeth have a negative impact on the mouth. They can be painful
should they break through, and they can also cause the teeth to crowd.
Additionally, wisdom teeth can be hard to keep clean and your chance of getting
gum disease increases. A fully developed wisdom tooth can also cause recession
around the adjacent tooth.
Such as they are, wisdom teeth should be closely monitored
by your dentist.
Should you have them
removed?
In some
cases, when the wisdom teeth have no effect on the rest of the mouth, there is
no need to remove them. Yet, often a dentist will recommend a tooth extraction
on one or all of the wisdom teeth.
A tooth
extraction is a standard procedure, in which a tooth is removed from its socket
in the bone tissue. The timing for removal is critical. It is better to have
them removed at a younger age before the risk of periodontal disease increases.
Care after removal
After the extraction of you wisdom teeth, it is important to
take care of yourself.
Keeping the
area around the tooth clean is crucial to prevent infection or dry socket. Dry
socket happens when the blood clot that covers the bone and nerves dissolves.
This leaves that area of the mouth exposed to anything that goes through:
water, air, food, etc. For these reasons, dry socket can be painful and lead to
serious infection.
Fortunately, dry socket is treatable.
Your
dentist will want to remove any food debris that may have gotten into the hole.
Next, they will fill in the hole with a special paste that will help heal the
area.
To learn more about wisdom teeth, contact Dr. Cureton at 831-449-8363.
One of our staff members will be ready to assist you.
