Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth also known as third molars are the last teeth to erupt. Wisdom teeth may become a problem for you as they grow and develop in each corner of your mouth. Problems often develop gradually since development normally spans several years. Nevertheless, these gradual changes can cause sudden and severe pain. Understanding why such things can happen may help you to deal with these problems, or better still, to encourage you to take preventive measures before they occur.

The jawbone grows to approximately its adult size by your late teens. Unfortunately, that size is often too small to hold developing wisdom teeth. This happens because our jaws are smaller than those of early humans who needed large jaws and more teeth for their tougher diet.

When there is not enough room for your wisdom teeth, they may become impacted, or partially trapped in the jawbone and gums. The crown, or top of the tooth, may erupt, or just break through the gum, or it may remain completely within the bone. The roots can grow in unusual directions and may cause a variety of problems in your mouth and with your sinus cavity or the nerve in your lower jaw. The primary preventive measure for wisdom teeth is removal, preferably at an early stage.

Not everyone has problems with their wisdom teeth. Factors that determine whether you will have problems include the size of your jaw and how your wisdom teeth grow in. There may be pain and swelling, or you may have no symptoms at all even though the other teeth in your mouth may be at risk of damage. In addition to actual pain, common problems caused by wisdom teeth can include gum disease, crowding, decay, poor position, and cysts.

Wisdom teeth generally cause problems when they erupt partially through the gum.

Below are the most common reasons for removing wisdom teeth.

1. Tooth decay

Saliva, bacteria and food particles can collect around an impacted wisdom tooth, causing it, or the next tooth to decay. It is very difficult to remove such decay. Pain and infection will usually follow.

2. Gum infection

When a wisdom tooth is partially erupted, food and bacteria collect under the gum causing a local infection. This may result in bad breath, pain, swelling and the inability to open your mouth fully. The infection can spread to involve the cheek and neck. Once the initial episode occurs, each subsequent attack becomes more frequent and more severe.

3. Pressure pain

Pain may also come from the pressure of the erupting wisdom tooth against other teeth. In some cases this pressure may cause the erosion of these teeth.

4. Orthodontic reasons

Many younger patients have had prolonged orthodontic treatment to straighten teeth. Wisdom teeth may cause movement of teeth particularly the front teeth when they try to erupt. This will compromise the orthodontic result.

5. Prosthetic reasons

Patients who are to have dentures, constructed should have any wisdom tooth removed. If a wisdom tooth erupts beneath a denture it will cause severe irritation and if removed, the patient will need to have a new denture constructed as the shape of the gum will have changed.

6. Cyst formation

A cyst (fluid filled sac) can develop from the soft tissue around an impacted wisdom tooth. Cysts cause bone destruction, jaw expansion and displacement or damage to nearby teeth. The removal of the tooth and cyst is necessary to prevent further bone loss. Tumors may develop within these cysts or the jaw may fracture spontaneously if the cyst grows very large.