Wednesday 14 December 2016

Wisdom teeth.... controversial and problematic

What are wisdom teeth?



“Wisdom teeth,” a rather curious name for teeth if you think about it, is the folklore name for third molar teeth, which usually makes their appearance later in life. Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars, located at the very back of the mouth. They are the third, final set of molars to come in, and they usually sprout during the late teens to early twenties. They are called wisdom teeth because usually they come in between ages 17 and 25.
In the time before modern dentistry, wisdom teeth were usually present. Due to lack of good dental hygiene and non-availability of preventive measures, leading to extensive tooth loss thus there by creating plenty of room to welcome these third molars. Today, dental technology is more advanced than ever, and adults are able to repair and keep more teeth than they were even only 50 years ago.

Though it is not possible to predict the normal eruption of wisdom teeth, as adequate space availability seems to be paramount to allow for successful eruption. Imaging techniques and radiographs are most important to assess the same. However, the fact they can erupt does not guarantee they will. If the normal eruption is compromised, often, removal is necessary to prevent problems. Roughly 60 to 70 percent of all wisdom teeth will be impacted

Why “wisdom teeth” are so problematic?

Wisdom teeth are not, in and of themselves, problematic. It’s the impact they have on the rest of your mouth and your oral hygiene that’s the issue. You may have a problem if any of the following occur:
  • Your wisdom teeth break through your gums only partway because of a lack of space. This can cause a flap of gum tissue to grow over them. The flap can trap food and lead to a gum infection.

  • They come in crooked or facing the wrong direction.
  • Your jaw isn't large enough to give them room. Your wisdom teeth may get stuck (impacted) in your jaw and not be able to break through your gums.
  • They are so far back in your mouth or crowded that you have trouble cleaning around them.



  • cyst forms. This can damage the bone or roots.

Effect Of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

The most common consequences of impacted wisdom teeth are periodontal (gum; “perio” – around; “odont” – tooth) problems and are the most frequent consideration for their removal. Their presence can adversely affect the periodontal tissues of the adjacent second molars by disrupting the periodontal tissue attachment (the mechanism that anchors the teeth in their surrounding bone) — leading to their loss by predisposing them to bacterial, plaque-induced, periodontal disease. They can also damage to adjacent tooth roots due to caries and formation of pocket.

Painless: One interesting fact is that in most cases, impacted teeth can exist quite asymptomatically; in other words, you wouldn't even know they are there, let alone causing problems. However, impacted, submerged, third molar teeth interrupt vital structures: in the lower jaw, like the nerves that supplies sensation or in the upper jaw, impacting or entering into the sinus. Conclusively, these teeth are located where they're not supposed to be, yet are causing no pain.

Painful: On other occasions, they will really let you know they are there with a painful pericoronitis (“peri” – around; “corona” – crown; “itis” – inflammation). This is an acute inflammation and infection of the surrounding gum tissues that typically occurs with a partially erupted, lower wisdom tooth. It is temporarily treated with medications.  Since this condition is likely to be recurrent, it is important to have the affected tooth or teeth evaluated for removal.


Impacted teeth results in pain also can result in other unpleasant side effects, including:
  • Infection
  • Swelling
  • Bleeding of the tissue around the tooth
  • Bad breath

Impacted teeth cannot grow in properly, and so dentists will recommend their removal in most cases.