Wisdom teeth actually don’t have to be removed unless they will cause issues…
Crowding
If you have room for wisdom teeth in the back of your mouth, then you won’t have this issue. Many people need to have wisdom teeth removed because there isn’t room for them and they push the other teeth forward causing crowding. An early diagnosis is necessary before damage is done. Wisdom tooth removal is very cheap compared to getting your crowded teeth straightened with orthodontics.
Getting diagnosed early can prevent costly procedures to reverse damage later.
Sometimes people who have had braces as teenagers or children allow wisdom teeth to grow too long and ruin their smile. In these cases, a second orthodontic treatment is necessary.
Removal
Wisdom tooth removal is pretty straight-forward in the majority of cases. There are however, more difficult cases such as impacted wisdom teeth. This is when the tooth is under the gums or in the jawbone. Partially impacted is when the wisdom tooth is coming through the gums but is still not all the way through. These cases can be more difficult to remove but are much more rewarding for the patient due to the pain and possible infections from bacteria getting under the gums. If you feel your wisdom teeth under your gums, you should see your dentist immediately. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) estimates that about 85 percent of wisdom teeth will eventually need to be removed.
Who Has Wisdom Teeth
Not everyone gets wisdom teeth. Usually wisdom teeth come in during the late teen years and early adult years (16 years old – 21 years old). It is most common for people to have their wisdom teeth removed around 18 years of age. They are called “wisdom teeth” because they come in at the age in which children become adults or during the “age of wisdom”. Wisdom teeth is the popular term for third molars. People usually have two sets of molars and some keep their third set but it is more common to have them removed.
Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
According to Scienceline, the third set of molars were formed by evolution. Our ancestors had diets of coarse, rough food like leaves, roots, nuts and meats which required them to have more chewing power. This diet put a lot of wear on their teeth. Today, we cut our food and process it and have made it no longer necessary to have “extra chewing power” while eating. This theory also explains why they don’t fit in your mouth… Evolution, again, has caused us to adapt to our diet and our jaws have become smaller. For this reason the third molars become impacted, blocked or partially erupted.
Diagnosis
How to know if you have wisdom teeth. Typically, patients that go in for regular cleanings and check-ups will receive bitewing X-Rays, especially at the “age of wisdom” to check for wisdom teeth. An X-Ray is the best way to check for third molar development. Third molars are easier to remove in younger patients because the roots have not fully developed and the bone is less dense.
Recovery
Your doctor will probably use tea bags to help harden the tissue in the area of extraction. Afterwards, gauze will be used to help keep bleeding in check. Make sure you don’t get dry sockets. This is caused by any kind of sucking. i.e. Using a straw, rinsing your mouth or other suction-causing activity.
Any kind of suction in the mouth can cause the blood clot to come out of the extraction site causing a dry socket
The reason you don’t want a dry socket is because it’s painful and requires a return visit to the doctor. Your doctor will pack the socket with a special medicated preparation that will relieve the pain and help the area to heal. Dry sockets can come about naturally because of the blood’s failure to clot. A blood clot can also become dislodged ever if you’re careful but this is much less common. With a dry socket, healing is delayed and you will have a terrible smell in your mouth. If you have these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.