Everything You Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth
One of the most common procedures in dentistry is the removal of wisdom teeth. Notably, the experience varies greatly from person to person: some may have just one tooth removed, while others have all four extracted at once. Some individuals experience severe pain afterward, whereas others return to normal eating habits within a week.
In this article, you'll learn more about wisdom teeth, including their location, reasons for eruption, their purpose, as well as symptoms, details about the removal procedure, and post-extraction consequences.
Wisdom Teeth: Where Are They Located and Why Do We Have Them?
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are often informally called «eights» by dentists because they are the eighth tooth counting from the front. A person typically has up to four wisdom teeth: two on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw. However, some people may have only three, two, or rarely none at all. So, while most people do have wisdom teeth, an X-ray can confirm their presence.
Wisdom teeth are molars located behind all other teeth, closer to the throat. They are similar to regular molars but differ in timing; they usually erupt between the ages of 18 and 35, coinciding with adulthood — hence the term «wisdom teeth.» Their eruption can take from a few days or weeks to even years. The eruption process may pause and resume unpredictably, making them quite unpredictable.
Historically, wisdom teeth were essential for our ancestors to chew rough, coarse foods. Evolutionarily, their necessity diminished due to improved diet quality and a gradual decrease in human skull size. Nevertheless, wisdom teeth persist, often remaining dormant.
How Do You Know If Your Wisdom Teeth Are Growing?
Pain and gum inflammation
Most patients experience distinct aching pain when wisdom teeth erupt. The gum tissue around these teeth (called an operculum, which is gum tissue partially covering an erupting tooth) often becomes inflamed and itchy.
Pressure and pain in neighboring teeth
You might sense whether wisdom teeth are growing correctly based on sensations or discomfort in your jaw. If improperly aligned, wisdom teeth exert pressure on adjacent teeth, potentially shifting the entire dental arch. Even if you've previously undergone orthodontic treatment (braces or aligners) or plan to, improper wisdom tooth eruption could negate your results. Thus, it's crucial to have a jaw X-ray before orthodontic treatment.
What to Do if Gums Near Wisdom Teeth Become Inflamed?
Don't rush to have your wisdom teeth removed immediately. First, schedule a consultation with an experienced dentist. Depending on your situation, your dentist might:
- Flush the Operculum
This doesn't require extraction. The dentist will clean the inflamed area using chlorhexidine, a common antiseptic widely used in dentistry, or other antibiotic/antiseptic solutions.
- Incise the Gum Around an Impacted Tooth
An impacted wisdom tooth is fully or partially covered by gums, preventing normal eruption. If properly positioned, extraction may be unnecessary. Instead, your dentist might incise the gum using a scalpel or laser (always with anesthesia). Laser incisions cause less pain and swelling due to immediate tissue cauterization, reducing infection risks.
- Extract Wisdom Tooth
Only a dentist can decide on extraction after evaluating an X-ray and examining your gums. During consultation, the dentist can also advise on managing pain with analgesics and antibiotics.
Do Wisdom Teeth Always Need Extraction?
Many patients wonder if extraction is necessary. Generally, removal isn't required if wisdom teeth erupt correctly, provided there's sufficient space. However, careful hygiene and pain management are crucial to prevent inflammation or decay beneath the gums.
Common indications for extraction include:
- Tooth decay and difficulty accessing the tooth for treatment
- Orthodontic reasons (before braces or aligner installation)
- Pain caused by incorrect eruption direction, irritating the cheek lining (buccal mucosa)
- Persistent jaw pain and chronic discomfort
If your wisdom teeth aren't problematic or decayed, extraction is unnecessary.
By the way, in the article "What to do if a wisdom tooth hurts" we talked about another plus of wisdom teeth, which doctors usually do not talk about, but it is quite an important observation.
How Are Wisdom Teeth Extracted, and Is It Painful?
If wisdom tooth removal is necessary, mental preparation is beneficial as procedures vary in complexity:
- Simple extraction with forceps
- Surgical removal from bone tissue
Surgical removal is more complicated and painful, usually performed when the tooth grows horizontally, pressing against other teeth. This method involves incising the gums, opening the bone, sectioning the tooth (dividing or cutting the tooth into parts), removing it in parts, and stitching the gums afterward.
The extraction process may last between 30 minutes to 2-3 hours, depending on complexity and the number of teeth removed. Removing all four wisdom teeth simultaneously is possible, but it places considerable stress on the body, making it unsuitable for everyone.
Regarding pain, the experience depends on individual pain tolerance and anesthesia method. Options include general anesthesia, sedation, or local anesthesia, determined by your dentist based on your medical profile and procedure complexity.
Consequences After Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Many patients fear facial asymmetry or even jaw fracture following wisdom tooth extraction. Indeed, complications such as these can occur, especially if performed by inexperienced practitioners or without proper equipment.
Read more about what risks can arise during the extraction of eighths here.
Post-extraction swelling is common and typically resolves within a few days to a week, similar to other dental surgeries. Your dentist will prescribe appropriate pain relief medication to manage postoperative discomfort effectively.
