One of the most common reasons for tooth extraction is wisdom teeth removal. Nearly everyone has wisdom teeth, and most people have to get them taken out at some point.
Common Questions About Wisdom Teeth Extraction
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Humans go through many different stages of dental growth, throughout their early lives. At age six, the first set of molars comes in. At approximately age twelve, a second set arrives.
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and usually, grow in somewhere between ages eighteen and twenty.
Interestingly enough, human jaws have become smaller over time, which means that wisdom teeth just don’t fit properly anymore. This is due to lifestyle changes, life expectancy, and technology.
Many centuries ago, the health of our teeth directly impacted life expectancy. Having that third group of molars would have been an invaluable addition to a set of teeth with twenty years of wear and tear.
However, as technology and standards of living improved, both dental care and life expectancy improved as well. It became less and less necessary to have a third set of molars. Over time, changes in human development reflected that through smaller jaws.
Why are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
These days, our wisdom teeth are not only much less necessary but have actually become an active threat to the health of the rest of our teeth. Many of these threats result from overcrowding.
Because our jaws are smaller, they no longer fit as many teeth. When teeth are too tight to fit properly, they can become crooked, malformed, or sometimes infected. All of this makes wisdom teeth removal necessary.
Impaction:
When the jaw is so overcrowded that wisdom teeth can’t emerge from the gum, they are impacted. An impacted wisdom tooth can very often turn sideways or upside-down. Growing at strange angles puts pressure on your other teeth, gums, and jaws that can cause severe complications.
Malformation:
When teeth don’t have enough room to grow, they compensate in many ways. One of those ways is strange or stunted growth patterns. It is not unusual to have wisdom teeth form odd root shapes while being impacted.
Infection:
Teeth that are too close together, whether impacted or not, run the risk of collecting plaque and particles in places that are extremely difficult to clean properly. This can cause cavities that encompass multiple teeth.
Talk to Us About Your Wisdom Teeth
Here at our office, we can perform wisdom tooth extraction for you. Oral surgery, especially in the case of an impacted wisdom tooth, can seem like a daunting prospect.
That’s why Michelsen Dental is here for you.
We offer a number of excellent amenities in our office, including both IV and conscious sedation. If you have any questions at all about your treatment options, don’t hesitate to call today.
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