Should you get your wisdom tooth removed?

TOI Lifestyle Desk / etimes.in / Jun 26, 2024, 18:00 IST

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Wisdom teeth, often causing discomfort and infection, may require extraction due to impaction. Challenges in oral hygiene and potential nerve damage support their removal for overall oral health. Symptoms like redness, swelling, and facial pain signal the need for timely evaluation and management.

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The wisdom tooth is the last molar to appear in your mouth. It starts to erupt around the age of 20, and they are 4 in number one in each quadrant. However, not everyone has. If your wisdom teeth are causing discomfort, infection, or other problems, they may need to be removed.
Sometimes wisdom teeth develop normally and never cause any problems. However, if the wisdom tooth, also known as the third molar, becomes lodged in your gums or jawbone and begins to grow in, this is referred to as an impacted wisdom tooth.

A tooth that gets stuck in the jaw and is unable to erupt is referred to as an impacted tooth. This problem is fairly prevalent in third molars. Because it is the last tooth to erupt and has barely any space remaining for eruption.

According to Dr. Gunita Singh, B.D.S., M.D. Dental LasersThe Dental and Orthodontic Clinic, "Impacted teeth become infected and painful, requiring immediate extraction. That is why many healthcare providers throughout the world recommend wisdom teeth removal if they cause even minor discomfort. We avoid keeping them for plenty of reasons."

Why should you get your wisdom tooth removed?

1. Due to its position in the back of the oral cavity, it is challenging to treat
using RCT. If we are successful, the prognosis is not good.
2. Due to its position, maintaining oral hygiene is challenging.
3. The anatomy of wisdom teeth varies between patients, making effective
treatment challenging.
4. The extra tooth is not very functional. It's hardly any use in chewing.
5. Insufficient space for eruption might cause damage to nearby teeth and

nerves.
6. Pushing on front teeth while erupting can lead to orthodontic relapse
(treatment failure).

Symptoms of wisdom teeth eruption:

1. Redness and swelling of the gums beneath the last molar.
2. Tenderness or soreness in the jaw.
3. Facial pain caused by wisdom teeth puts pressure on nerves.
4. There are white flecks behind the final molar.

Fun fact: why is it called a wisdom tooth?

It has nothing to do with wisdom, and removing these teeth will not cause you
to lose any wisdom. It gets its name from the fact that it erupts at a mature
age.

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