Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
Teeth are categorized by their placement and function. Sharper teeth near the front of your mouth tear food into smaller pieces, while flatter teeth at the back of your mouth grind the food down. These flatter teeth are called molars. Adults have three sets of molars, each set consisting of four teeth on the top, bottom, and both sides of the mouth.
From infancy through early adolescence, humans develop their first set of “baby” teeth, lose them, and then get a whole new set again that they’ll keep for life. But only two sets of molars (8 teeth), arrive during the emergence of those adult teeth. Sometime between the ages of 17 and 21, most adults will develop their third set of molars, which sit the farthest back. These molars are more commonly called wisdom teeth because they show up last, when you’re “older and wiser.”
The rough diets of our human ancestors (think much less tender meat than what we’re able to prepare today), may have necessitated this third set of molars.
When Do Wisdom Teeth Come In?
All of the teeth a person will ever have are present at birth, higher up in the skull structure. First, a set of 20 baby teeth erupts and falls out. Then 32 permanent teeth move in. The first set of molars usually becomes visible at age 6, the second set around age 12, and the final set (wisdom teeth) sometime before age 21.
Because of the ease of our modern diets, anthropologists believe humans have gradually evolved beyond needing wisdom teeth, so some people may never get any. Wisdom teeth will likely go the way of the appendix and become completely unnecessary. Eventually, they may disappear altogether
Still, most adults today develop their wisdom teeth. One found that at least 53 percent of people aged 25 and older had had at least one wisdom tooth come in. Men were more likely to have them than women.
Just because you don’t see all of your wisdom teeth doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Sometimes wisdom teeth don’t ever erupt and won’t ever become visible. An X-ray can confirm if you have wisdom teeth under your gums.
Problems With Wisdom Teeth
Some wisdom teeth erupt (emerge through the gum) without causing any problems, but sometimes, wisdom teeth come through at an angle and push into the gum or the tooth beside them. This is called impaction.
Impaction of a wisdom tooth can be painful and sometimes causes infection. Brushing these teeth can be difficult. Food and bacteria can get stuck between the wisdom tooth and the tooth next to it, leading to tooth decay and gum infections called pericoronitis.
Crowded wisdom teeth often lean sideways and rub against the cheek. This may cause ulcers on the cheek and chewing problems.
Your Chatswood dentist may recommend that your wisdom teeth be removed if:
- there is not enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to come through properly – removing a tooth early may help prevent a future problem
- you are experiencing:
- pain
- infection
- damage to other teeth.
They may also recommend keeping a watch on the tooth in case it looks like causing problems later.
Is It Necessary To Remove Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth — the third molars in the back of the mouth — may not need to be taken out if they are:
- Healthy
- Grown in fully
- In the right place and biting properly
- Able to be cleaned daily
But wisdom teeth often don’t have room to grow in properly, and they can cause problems. Wisdom teeth can grow in at various angles in the jaw, sometimes even horizontally.
Problems can include wisdom teeth that:
- Stay fully hidden within the gums. If they can’t grow in the usual way, wisdom teeth become trapped within the jaw. These are called impacted wisdom teeth. Sometimes this can lead to an infection or cause a cyst that can damage other teeth roots or bone support.
- Grow only partway through the gums. Because the back of the mouth is hard to see and clean, wisdom teeth that partly grow in can create a pathway for bacteria to get into the gums. This can cause gum disease and infection. Wisdom teeth that grow partway through the gums also can get cavities, which can’t be fixed with fillings and therefore must be removed.
- Crowd nearby teeth. If wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to grow in properly, they may crowd or damage nearby teeth.
Sunrise Chatswood dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth if they don’t fully grow in. In many instances, taking out wisdom teeth as a young adult — generally 15 to 22 years old — is safer, easier and requires less recovery than taking out wisdom teeth later in life. This is because the roots aren’t fully formed, the bone in the jaws is less dense and recovery from surgery generally is faster. This is why some young adults have their wisdom teeth pulled before the teeth cause problems.
You may need to have your wisdom teeth taken out if you have:
- Pain in or near your wisdom teeth
- Repeated infection of soft tissue behind the lower last tooth
- Fluid-filled sacs called cysts
- Tumors
- Damage to nearby teeth
- Gum disease
- Widespread tooth decay
It isn’t always easy to decide if or when wisdom teeth should be taken out. Talk to your Chatswood dentist or an oral surgeon about what’s best for you.
How It’s Performed – Wisdom Tooth Removal?
If the tooth hasn’t come through the gum, a small cut (incision) will be made in the gum to access it. A small piece of the bone covering the tooth may also need to be removed.
The tooth may be cut into smaller parts to make it easier to remove through the opening. There’s less need to make an incision if the tooth has broken through the gum.
You’ll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your Chatswood dentist needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth before taking it out.
You shouldn’t feel any pain as your wisdom teeth are removed because the area will be numb. However, if you do feel pain during the procedure, tell your Chatswood dentist so they can give you more anesthetic.
How long it takes to remove the tooth will vary. Simple procedures can take a few minutes, but it can take longer than 20 minutes if it’s more complicated.
Care After Surgery for Removal of Wisdom Teeth
It can take up to 2 weeks to recover from the surgery for having your wisdom tooth or teeth removed.
During this time, you may have:
- a swollen mouth and cheeks – this will be worse for the first few days but will gradually improve; gently pressing a cold cloth to your face helps reduce the swelling
- some mild visible bruising of your cheek – the skin may be bruised for up to 2 weeks
- a stiff, sore jaw – this should wear off within 7 to 10 days
- pain – this is worse if the extraction was difficult or complicated
- an unpleasant taste in your mouth
- tingling or numbness of your face, lips or tongue (although this is uncommon)
- Report any excess bleeding, severe pain or any other unusual symptoms to your dentist or oral surgeon immediately.
To reduce pain and aid your recovery, it can be helpful to:
- use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (always read and follow the manufacturer’s dosage instructions) – there’s some evidence to suggest that ibuprofen is the best painkiller to take after having wisdom teeth removed
- avoid strenuous activity and exercise for a few days
- use an extra pillow to support your head at night
- for 24 hours, avoid rinsing, spitting, hot drinks or anything else that may dislodge the blood clots that form in the empty tooth socket (they help the healing process)
- avoid smoking and drinking alcohol for 24 hours
- eat soft or liquid food for a few days and chew with your other teeth
- gently rinse the extraction site with antiseptic mouthwash after 24 hours, and repeat this regularly over the next few days, particularly after eating – you can also use warm water with a teaspoon of salt as mouthwash to reduce gum soreness and inflammation
About Us
Sunrise Dental is proud to offer elite oral surgery services to patients of all ages in the Chatswood. We believe in educating our patients and taking the extra time to address all of their questions and concerns regarding treatment. Our friendly staff wants you to feel welcomed when you step into our practice, and we look forward to the opportunity to provide excellent oral care to you and your loved ones. To request an appointment with one of our dentists, call (02) 9419 5412.