We’ve all seen the goofy videos of friends and family members playing pranks on young people under sedation after getting their wisdom teeth removed. Wisdom teeth removal has become a teenage rite of passage for a lot of kids. But what are wisdom teeth exactly? Does everyone get them and does everyone need to get them removed?
Wisdom teeth are also called third molars, and they generally appear at the back of the mouth between the ages of 17 and 25. Most people have four wisdom teeth, but some of us have fewer and a handful of people don’t get them at all. Those back molars are called wisdom teeth because they show up at an older age when we’re presumably a little wiser. Most experts agree that we don’t really need them–they’re leftover from when our prehistoric diets required a lot more hard-core chewing.
Wisdom teeth themselves aren’t automatically a problem. But problems do happen when they come in the wrong way. There’s often just not enough space in our mouths to accommodate them. They also tend to be harder to clean and decay easier than other teeth, and that can cause problems. For these reasons, dentists recommend extraction for many teens and young adults. If your wisdom teeth come through properly, they’re just an additional set of molars. However, because of the tendency to decay, your dentist will continue to monitor them carefully even if there aren’t any immediate problems. Be sure to brush and floss them well and get x-rays every year to make sure there aren’t any emerging problems.
According to the American Dental Association, wisdom teeth cause problems when there isn’t enough space for them in your mouth or when they come through the gums in the wrong position. This often makes extraction the best and safest option. Some potential problems related to wisdom teeth include:
Getting regular dental check-ups from an early age is important on so many levels. As your children grow, your family dentist will follow their oral health history and keep a close eye on wisdom teeth as they move through the teen years. In some cases, your dentist will recommend preventive wisdom tooth removal to avoid potential problems. Teens and young adults should also see their dentist right away if they experience any of the following:
Wisdom tooth extraction can be done by your dentist or by an oral surgeon depending on how deeply the tooth is impacted. In most cases, wisdom tooth extractions are done with local anesthesia or sedation anesthesia, which limits consciousness to help with pain and anxiety during the procedure. Sedation is an increasingly popular option for wisdom tooth removal and can be administered right in your family dentist’s office. In some cases when the tooth is severely impacted, your dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon who can use general anesthesia in a surgical setting.
The Mayo Clinic offers a good nutshell version of a wisdom tooth extraction:
Wisdom tooth extraction is a safe outpatient procedure that can usually be performed right in your dentist’s office. However, it’s not a routine dental procedure that allows you to go right back to work or school. There’s a recovery process involved. Here are a few steps you can expect after an extraction:
One of the most important elements about building a relationship with your family dentist is having someone who can get to know your children and note changes in their teeth and gums as they grow. At Greenhill Family Dental Care, wisdom teeth are always on our radar screen as our young patients move into their teens. Regular check-ups and x-rays are key to keeping tabs on those final molars. We believe in careful monitoring and will recommend removal when necessary. We routinely perform successful wisdom tooth extractions and offer sedation dentistry as needed to keep you comfortable. If an impacted tooth requires care from an oral surgeon, we’ll provide a referral and help you choose the right practice. But in most cases, we can safely remove wisdom teeth in the comfort and familiar environment of our office.
