| Somewhere between the ages of 15 to 25 years, most people's third
molars begin to erupt through the gumline at the very back
of their mouths. However, the modern jaw shape often can't accommodate
these 'wisdom' teeth, leading to either of two unhealthy conditions:
crowding of existing permanent teeth, or impaction—the
incoming molars get stuck in place. Since few if any jaws can
accommodate these large third molars, we typically examine
our 11 and 12-year-old patients to predict the upcoming developmental
positioning of the wisdom teeth, recommending extraction prior
to their 17-19 years of age.
While extraction may not sound like a lot of fun, it's far
better than the typical alternatives.
First, crowded teeth
can misalign
your bite, cause jaw pain, and lead to gum disease …causing
dental problems for the rest of your life. Second, partially
erupted wisdom teeth allow bacteria and germs to multiply, leading
to infection
or cyst formation; tumors may even grow on a trapped wisdom tooth.
Further, impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth may try to
continue coming in, pushing up in whichever direction they find
the most give-- sideways, vertically, backwards, forwards, etc.
They can also become stuck while still fully encased in the jawbone
('bony impaction'), or prior to erupting through the gums ('soft
tissue impaction'). Such impaction can cause pain, swelling,
and infection. And the good news is that extraction is a simple,
routine
surgical procedure that can usually be performed comfortably
in one office visit.
back to patient education
|
