What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the last molars in the dental arch that appear when the patient is between 16 and 25 years old and are positioned on each side of the jaw / mandible.
Being the last permanent teeth to grow out, many people no longer have a place in their dental arch, which can lead to their inclusion. They remain under the gingival tissue and can no longer erupt due to other teeth or bone. Dental inclusion can be accompanied by inflammation and pain.
What is the role of wisdom teeth?
Nowadays, wisdom teeth have lost their duties. Prehistoric man being totally carnivorous, used the wisdom teeth to ease the mastication. But nowadays, they have lost their functionality, partly because the structure of the food has changed over the years, on the other hand, man can afford a wide variety of foods that are much easier to chew. Because of this, the third molars no longer play an essential role and are only useful if they grown out normally. Otherwise they will only cause problems.
How do you know if there are problems with your wisdom teeth?
Often wisdom teeth grow out only partially, leaving certain parts under the gums. Thus part of the gum rises, under which bacteria can multiply leading to inflammation and pericoronaritis.
Appearance of pain in the upper or lower jaw can often be the first sign that the wisdom tooth is causing you problems. You may feel pressure in the back of your mouth or discomfort in your ears. Also, the gingival tissue around the erupting mass often becomes sensitive, swollen and inflamed.
There is a possibility that some people may not feel any pain or discomfort. However, this does not mean that the wisdom tooth does not have problems. Periodic check-ups at 6 months at the dentist can get rid of a lot of discomfort when it comes to your wisdom teeth.
Dentists generally evaluate the affected teeth on a case-by-case basis to determine if they should be removed or not. If a tooth is fully affected and the radiography shows that it growing out is unlikely, your dentist may often recommend removal to prevent future problems.
3 reasons why the extraction of wisdom teeth is recommended:
- due to the small space, their eruption will cause the other teeth to be pushed together, resulting in the need for braces.
- Improper positioning can damage adjacent teeth, causing deep cavities or even subgingival cavities.
- a cyst can form in the area and it can destroy surrounding structures, such as the roots of neighboring teeth.
Does the extraction of the wisdom tooth hurt?
Extraction of the wisdom tooth is one of the most common dental surgeries performed. You do not feel any pain during the extraction, because you are given an anesthetic, so the tooth and the surrounding tissues will be numb. However, if you experience pain during the procedure, tell your dentist or oral surgeon so that you can take more medication. After the anesthesia, pain may occur, but it should subside after regular analgesics (ibuprofen, paracetamol, etc.). Most likely, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the local infection and will call you in 7 days for stitch removal and a checkup.
4 problems that can occur after extraction
→ pain of different intensity and swelling from case to case.
These symptoms usually go away with painkillers or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Ice can be applied to reduce swelling. The swelling should improve in 2-3 days.
It is rare, but it is one of the complications that can occur after any extraction. It usually occurs 5-7 days after extraction, when the blood clot needed for healing dissolves too quickly. This problem can be easily prevented by suturing the wound after extraction. If it does occur, it requires a dental check-up and will be treated with an oral antiseptic solution or a specialized dressing, depending on the severity of the pain.
→ postextractional hemorrhage
There are some situations in which the bleeding persists or reappears at a time interval after extraction due to local and / or general factors. In case of extraction of a wisdom tooth bleeding up to 3 days after the procedure is considered normal. However, after day 3, the bleeding volume should go down and become less visible.
→ infectious complications
After extracting your wisdom tooth, you must have a rigorous but gentle oral hygiene to prevent infections. You need to quit smoking drinking alcoholic, sour, too cold and too hot beverages for a few days . You should brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush, without pressing and without insisting on the operated area. The mouth has to be rinsed with great care.
Conclusions
Wisdom teeth require more special attention than the other 28 teeth, because they have a difficult position and it is not possible to control the change of their appearance, being very difficult to clean. This is why it is essential to go to the dentist regularly to prevent any complications due to them. If, however, you have reached the extraction stage, follow the surgeon's advice to prevent complications and to recover as soon as possible.