Wisdom
Tooth?

If you are above 25 years of age and you don’t have 32 teeth inspite of not having a dentist pull out your teeth previously, the there is a high percentage of chance that one or more of your tooth is impacted and that tooth may most probably be your wisdom teeth.

When wisdom teeth comes? Which age does wisdom teeth come?

Wisdom teeth are scientifically called the third molars. They usually erupt at 18-25 years of age.

Why wisdom teeth are called wisdom teeth?

They are called so since this is the age that you are supposed to get wisdom.

Why wisdom teeth grow late?

Each and every tooth in the mouth has a specific eruption pattern and eruption time. All the teeth cannot grow into the mouth at the same time as the child’s jaw will not have grown big enough to accomodate them. Therefore they erupt as the jaw increases in size and these wisdom teeth usually erupt after most of the growth is completed.

Can wisdom teeth come in at 40?

Usual age is 18-25. Some people may not have space at that age and may acquire space due to loss of a tooth and it may come out at 40 too.

If your tooth does not erupt at the desired age into their desired positions or have no chances of erupting in the future, then it is called an impaction.

Impacted wisdom tooth can be soft tissue impaction in which the tooth is covered by gums only or can be a hard tissue impaction in which tooth is covered by bone.

Third molars during normal eruption itself may cause some pain which usually subsides after complete eruption.

If it is partly covered by soft tissue, food may get stuck in the space between the teeth and the gums and cause pain ,pus formation and sometimes difficulty in opening the mouth.

Finally,If the teeth is tilted, food may get caught between the wisdom tooth and nearby tooth resulting in decay in one or both of the teeth.

Can Wisdom teeth cause TMJ problems?

Wisdom tooth problems can sometimes lead to deranged occlusion leading to TMJ problems and pain.

Wisdom Teeth Cancer?

These impacted teeth rarely may cause cyst or enlarging air space in relation to them which has to be removed . Tumours and cancer are very very rare if any.

A full mouth Xray called OPG is necessary to determine the position and angulation of the teeth and closeness of the teeth with the nerve.

Wisdom Teeth near nerve?

If any doubts regarding the nerve, a CBCT scan may be required also.

Pain due to wisdom teeth problems can be temporarily reduced or eliminated by gargling your mouth with medium hot water mixed with salt. The food entrapped in the soft tissues when removed can also relieve pain. This can be done by forceful jetting of water with help of a 10-20 ml syringe on the area. If these measures don’t provide relief or if the problems are repeating , treatment has to be undertaken. But pain due to decay in the wisdom tooth or the nearby tooth cannot be reduced with these measures.

If an otherwise normally erupted wisdom tooth is covered partly by soft tissue causing problems, a minor procedure called operculectomy can be done to remove the soft tissue.

If it is covered by bone or soft tissue and causes problems, the wisdom tooth should be removed surgically.

In contrast, if the wisdom tooth is completely covered and it does not affect and has no chances of affecting the nearby teeth , it can be left untouched.

The lower or mandibular teeth are usually harder to remove than the upper teeth. There are various types of impaction called mesioangular, distoangular, Horizontal and Vertical Impaction. The Distoangular and horizontal impaction are harder to remove.The other two are comparatively easier to remove.

If there is enough space for the eruption of wisdom tooth, then it may be corrected with braces.

Operculectomy may not cause much of post operative discomfort or pain in most cases.

Surgical removal of wisdom teeth may sometimes be uneventful causing problems similar to a normal tooth removal. But in many cases, it may cause some swelling and pain for a couple of days and with the sutures in place may cause limitation of your mouth opening for close to a week. So the surgical procedure may be planned in such a time and day ,maybe a weekend, so that an additional day of rest is available after the procedure.

The patient is advised cold fermentation immediately after the procedure and Hot fermentation from the next day of the procedure to reduce swelling.

Cost of surgical removal of a wisdom tooth, under simple local anesthesia ,usually varies from place to place and from clinics to clinics.

In India- Ranges from Rs 3000- Rs 6000

In US- Ranges from 225$-600$

Can Wisdom teeth grow back?

None of the permanent teeth once removed can grow back.

Are Wisdom teeth important?Are wisdom teeth needed?

As the human race has evolved , the function of the wisdom teeth has been reduced to almost nil. Therefore, a lost wisdom tooth need not be replaced.