Wisdom teeth normally erupt between the age of 18 to 24 years, time at which we are supposed to acquire wisdom, hence the name wisdom teeth. Only a few lucky people have their wisdom teeth erupted in place and most of others requires extraction. Wisdom teeth or third molars usually don’t find enough space in our jaw bones to erupt normally and thus are impacted in jaw bones.
So thus all wisdom teeth needs extraction, absolutely not. We follow a basic rule if it is not hurting you and no significant radiological sign of complication is visible, we do not extract it.
Wisdom teeth needs extraction in following conditions:
Caries
It is difficult to keep hygiene in area of wisdom teeth so a cavity may develop in top part of tooth and progresses fast enough to cause pain associated with swelling and redness of gums.
A wisdom tooth by virtue of its malposition may impinge on normal healthy tooth and cause cavity in that normal tooth. Such cavities are usually not accessible unless wisdom tooth is extracted.
A cyst may develop along with infection in wisdom teeth. If this cyst continues to grow it may damage bone, other teeth and cause serious complications.
Removal of wisdom teeth is a small surgical procedure and a well-trained oral surgeon can accomplish it in 15-20minutes. If post-operative instructions are followed and medications are taken on time most of them can resume routine activities very next day.
Infection in adjacent tooth
A wisdom tooth by virtue of its mal-position may impinge on normal healthy tooth and cause cavity in that normal tooth. Such cavities are usually not accessible unless wisdom tooth is extracted.
Cyst
A cyst may develop along with infection in wisdom teeth. If this cyst continues to grow it may damage bone,other teeth and cause serious complications.
Most of people ask can I go to office tomorrow after extraction!
Removal of wisdom teeth is a small surgical procedure and a well-trained oral surgeon can accomplish it in 15-20minutes. If post-operative instructions are followed and medications are taken on time most of them can resume routine activities very next day.