Why Are Wisdom Teeth So Different From Other Molars And Why You May Need Them Extracted

By the time you hit 19 or 20 years old, you figure you don't have to worry about the pain of getting more teeth. Unfortunately, this is not true. The third set of molars, called wisdom teeth, make their appearance right around that age, and they usually cause much more trouble than all your other teeth did when they grew in. Having wisdom teeth removed is something that should be done by a full-service, board-certified, impacted tooth extraction dentist. Your regular dentist may not be willing to do the procedure, but will refer you to someone who will. Here's a look at why it requires some specialization:

Why Wisdom Teeth Are Different

Wisdom teeth are no different physically from the other molars in your mouth. However, the timing of when they come in, and the size of your mouth makes it difficult for them to push through the gums without disrupting the other teeth in your mouth. By the time you are a young adult, the teeth that are in your mouth are positioned according to how much space your jaw has. Even if you have enough space for the new teeth, the older teeth have spread out a bit. This means as the wisdom teeth come in, they push on the 2^nd molars to move them out of the way. If you do not have enough space, the new teeth may come in at an angle, or even get stuck in the jaw under other teeth.

Why You May Need Them Extracted

Impaction

Because wisdom teeth often have to push other teeth out of the way to fit into your mouth, they often become impacted, or stuck, somewhere in your mouth. This can cause a weakening of your jawbone, if the tooth is stuck there, or inflammation of the gum and soft tissue surrounding the tooth.

Infection

Wisdom teeth that become impacted keep trying to push on other teeth to come in. This can cause a tear in the gums that allows bacteria to get inside. The bacteria can reside in the soft tissue or get into the bone. Now you will have an abscess that causes extreme pain in addition to the pain of the wisdom tooth pushing on other teeth.

If you are lucky, your mouth is big enough for wisdom teeth. You may have worn braces and have a retainer that keeps your teeth in position to allow for the 3^rd set of molars. Other than this, the odds are good you will need to have your wisdom teeth removed as they try to push through. Your dentist can tell you what options you have that will be the best for your situation.

Get in touch with an office like Central PA Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons LLC for more details.

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