Wisdom teeth are a residue that we carry with us from human evolution and allowed us to eat uncooked foods. Today, however, these teeth are not useful for chewing and often come out late bringing with them annoyances and problems, which make their extraction necessary as a definitive cure. Let’s find out more about these teeth thanks to the experience of the MC20 orthodontists.
What are wisdom teeth?
The wisdom teeth are so-called for the late eruption and go to insert themselves at the extremity of the half-arched. In general, there are four wisdom teeth, but in some cases, some are missing or remain in the jaw bone due to the phenomenon of hypodontia.
Generally, these teeth come out between the ages of 18 and 25 and complete the permanent dentition, but there are cases where they appear after the age of 40 or never remaining inside. As mentioned, they are not involved in chewing, but if they do not cause problems, you can easily do it without extracting them.
What problems are associated with wisdom teeth?
In many cases, the teeth come out and find a place in the dentition without problems, but there is also the risk of complications, which can also involve the last molars. In particular, wisdom teeth can lead to orthodontic problems by pushing the other teeth, but they are also at risk for tooth decay, periodontitis, cysts, and swelling.
The reason is the difficult cleaning of these teeth, on which plaque and tartar accumulate resulting in tooth decay, abscesses, and infections that require extraction.
When is it best to extract wisdom teeth?
MC20 orthodontists recommend extracting wisdom teeth in case of incomplete or absent eruption with consequent problems of neuralgia and decubitus near the seventh molars, but also difficulty in moving the mouth. The wisdom tooth must also be removed in case of caries or rupture following trauma.
Many dentists proceed with the early extraction of these teeth to emasculate problematic solutions and it is a painless procedure, performed with local anesthesia. The extraction is the only way to prevent wisdom teeth from leading to pain, pathologies, or problems with other teeth.
In any case, during the periodic visit to the dentist, the state of health of the wisdom tooth can be checked and assessed on a case-by-case basis whether it is convenient to extract it or not. For this reason, the advice of MC20 is to periodically undergo a dental check-up, during which the specialist will analyze the health of the mouth and see if the wisdom teeth are healthy, correctly positioned, and free from cavities or other infections.
Keeping or removing the wisdom tooth when there is no problem is a personal decision, and MC20 recommends its extraction only if it causes pain and problems with the remaining dentition. Contact us to book your visit and understand the health of your wisdom teeth!