Akin to many other medical practices and procedures, dental treatments are also filled with many myths and fads. Hence it pays rich dividends when facts pertaining to dental health are shared with patients, as they help them to make informed and consented decisions. So, while interacting with young adult patients or their anxious patients, we often encounter questions regarding wisdom teeth – should they be removed or left as such. Let us discuss!
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Out of 32 teeth given by nature , 28 of them appear twice, once in the form of milk teeth and the other set as permanent ones. The rest four molars appear at the rear end of the mouth only once during the late teenage. These set of teeth are called wisdom teeth.
Should They Be Removed?
Strictly speaking, the right answer to this question would be “perhaps” and it is never a universal solution for all the patients, explains a reputed dentist in Pune. While there is no harm in allowing those wisdom teeth to remain as such and aid in functional requirements, certain dental conditions makes it compulsory to get them extracted. What are they?
1. Damage To Adjoining Teeth: Many times, the direction of wisdom tooth eruption may not be proper and hence may cause pushing of adjacent teeth and lead to a toothache and bite problems.
2. Damage To Jaws : On few occasions, cysts get formed near wisdom teeth and if left untreated, may lead to severe and irreversible jaw and nerve damages.
3. Sinus : When the reason behind the onset of sinus is pointed towards wisdom teeth, it can very well lead to additional pain and pressure.
4. Cavities And Inflamed Gums : It is not uncommon to witness swelling of gum tissues around wisdom teeth which may further create pockets and pave way for the formation of cavities.
5. Alignment : On most of the occasions, the removal of wisdom teeth is necessitated to avoid impact of teeth which has huge potential to dislodge all the goodness done by dental appliances and prosthodontic procedures such as braces and implants.
6. Poor Oral Health : Due to their rear end positions, it is very difficult to maintain good oral health in wisdom teeth. Hence they are more prone to cavities and on most of the occasions, any treatment carried out for cleaning the infection may not be completely successful.
Signs To Retain Wisdom Teeth
There are several instances where your wisdom teeth might not pose any sort of problem. In those circumstances, the thought of retaining wisdom teeth can definitely be nourished.All wisdom teeth have developed fully and are neatly arranged in line with other teeth.
• All wisdom teeth have developed fully and are neatly arranged in line with other teeth.No problems or issues.
• No problems or issues of chewing and biting with wisdom teeth.
• Good oral health and dental hygiene are being met in the wisdom teeth and the areas surrounding them.
• Healthy wisdom teeth.
Remember, any problem in wisdom teeth may not always be associated with pain. Hence it is necessary to borne in the mind that only dentists can assess the real situation with the aid of radiographic picture and it would always would be a good idea to consult with them about the decision of wisdom tooth removal. If you are unsure about the dental condition of your wisdom teeth, you can always approach our dentists who have rendered wisdom teeth removal treatment on numerous occasions and make an informed decision.