What is a wisdom tooth exactly and why do you keep hearing about them? The wisdom tooth is the final (or third) molars located in each side of the mouth. Everyone has a wisdom tooth located on both the top and bottom portions of your gums, which means there are four wisdom teeth total. While WHEN wisdom teeth appear varies by individual, we all need to take of them properly. In fact, if you do not properly take care of your dental health, your wisdom teeth are just as likely to be impacted by symptoms of deterioration as any other tooth in your mouth will be.
Since this type of tooth is located at the very back of the mouth and is considered one of the chewing molars, food is actually more likely to be pushed into the back where hard to reach crevices lie. When there is buildup here, the results may end up being specialized extraction treatment wherein the wisdom teeth will need to be removed by a registered dentist.
Why Should Wisdom Teeth Be Removed?
Due to the fact that wisdom teeth are located so far back, it can be difficult to properly clean and floss them consistently over the years. It is not uncommon for food to get trapped in the furthest reaches of the mouth. From there, cavities will inevitably form from the build up. When cavities form what it does is cause deterioration to the tooth’s natural structure. This will end up with the impacted individual experiencing differing degrees of pain.
According to the American Dental Association:
Wisdom teeth can lead to problems if there isn’t enough space for them to surface or they come through in the wrong position. If your dentist says your wisdom teeth are impacted, he or she means they are trapped in your jaw or under your gums.
Wisdom Teeth & Molar Extraction to Prevent Further Issues
Signs that your wisdom teeth have developed cavities and need treatment from your 3V Dental dentist include pain, irritation at the gum site surrounding the tooth, visible decay or graying of the tooth, and an odor to the breath caused by this dental decay. To prevent this type of decay from occurring, it is best to take ultimate care of the area where the final molars are located through special concentration to that area when brushing and flossing. Doing so will help prevent the symptoms of damage due to plaque build up and food pushed against the tooth for too long.
Aside from poor dental health, the number one reason why wisdom teeth are commonly removed by your 3V Dental Associates dentist is due to overcrowding within the mouth. As our teeth grow in, the last molars in the very back are also the last to grow in. When they do, for the vast majority of adults, there is simply not enough room to accommodate the new teeth. It is more common than not that our mouth cannot sustain the amount of teeth we naturally have, which means that something has to go in order to make up for this overcrowding. When a person’s final molars start to grow in they will usually make an appointment for a dentist to examine them in order to decide whether they should be removed or not.
When your dentist decides that the back molar is not going to make the cut, the patient will seek to make more room in the gum line by having these unnecessary back molars removed. In rare cases a patient may be able to keep these molars if their dentist feels that they do actually have enough room for them to comfortably fit. This will depend on the individual patient and what their needs are. If the signs are there that extraction is needed, you will move forward to the planning stages with your 3v Dental dentist.
Depending on the cause of why these molars will be removed your dental specialist, or oral maxillofacial surgeon, will decide the best type of anesthesia for you to use during surgery. The same applies to the details surrounding the best plan that works for you.
Think you may have issues with your molars or wisdom teeth? If you’re located in or around Port Washington, New York, we’d love to meet you at our Main St. dental clinic. Our patients travel from all around the 5 boroughs and Long Island to meet with our Port Washington dental team. All it takes is a quick phone call to schedule your wisdom teeth consultation, so what are you waiting for? Call today!
