Everything You Need to Know About Wisdom Tooth Extraction

When it comes to oral health, there is one particular question that bothers all dentists - is it good or bad to extract wisdom teeth? First of all, it is important to consider the circumstances and medical condition of the patient, and to conclude whether is it really necessary to extract wisdom teeth. There will always be some symptoms present that indicate that a doctor should go forth with the procedure. Usually, those are: the health of the second molar, gum disease and teeth crowding.

Step 1: Scanning Is the First Step

Patients who have doubts about the health and proper growth of their wisdom teeth should first do a CT scan of their jaws. A panoramic X-ray of your jaw is an excellent way to start. A scan like this will show the presence and position of wisdom teeth, as well as other teeth, cysts and cavities. You should do a scan like this every 5 years in order to prevent bigger gum and teeth problems that can be pretty painful. Then, if your doctor confirms that your wisdom tooth is a threat to your oral health, you should do a cone beam scan that will give your dentist a much better clinical view of this area. This kind of scan is more precise and it will allow a 3D view as well as a view of the position of the mandibular nerve that is often found near the root of your wisdom tooth. Damaging this nerve can cause permanent numbness in your lower lip, and this is precisely what could be prevented by doing the cone beam scan. The evaluation of the position of this nerve, second molar and wisdom tooth can be valuable data for your oral surgeon.

Step 2: Second Molar

Second molars and wisdom teeth are physically close, so it is really important to see whether the extraction of the wisdom tooth is going to affect the second molar. The position of wisdom teeth can vary - sometimes it will grow straight up like the rest of your teeth, but in other cases, it will erupt towards your molar. This can affect the ligaments surrounding your molar and its root and cause you all sorts of troubles that can eventually lead to the extraction of both the wisdom tooth and the molar. It is very important to take into consideration the age of the patient as a younger patient’s symptoms after the extraction can improve, while with older patient, these symptoms only tend to become worse.

Step 3: Gum Problems

Your doctor should examine your gums before they make a decision. It is very important to measure the pocket depths behind the molars. Sometimes, a pocket too deep can affect the health of your teeth as they get bigger and deeper over time. In addition, there is a lot of bacteria gathered in those pockets that can surely trigger some gum disease. In this occasion, the extraction can have a negative effect on gums and molars. However, wisdom teeth can cause gum inflammation during their emergence, and this can influence our whole organism, so in some situations (such as pregnancies), it can cause a lot of health issues - thus, the best option would be extraction.

Step 4: Enough Room for Another Tooth?

Some patients have a different problem - they have a rather small jaw and there is no room for another tooth, so the logical outcome of this is teeth crowding. Dentists often suggest wisdom tooth extraction in such occasions, but if the patient is younger, they can also try to solve this problem with braces.

Step 5: Some Complications Come With Age

If there is a necessity for wisdom teeth extraction, dentists suggest that you do it while you are still young. And why is that? Firstly, the risk of periodontal diseases on the second molar is lower while you are still very young. Then, there is also the risk of tooth cavity on your wisdom tooth as it emerges - it is also higher in older patients. A fully developed wisdom tooth has a stronger root and this can be harmful for nerves located around it, as the extraction can damage nerves. This is another reason why you should decide for this treatment during adolescence.

Don’t rush, take your time and consult with your doctor if you think you need wisdom tooth extraction. Thorough examination is the only thing that could show what kind of treatment you need. So you better trust your dentist.