Not everyone is a fan of heading to the dentist, even when they shouldn't have anything to fear. After all, dental professionals treat any oral disease you may have in your mouth. However, treating illnesses isn't the only thing dentists look out for. They also look for alignment issues that could stem from a growing wisdom tooth.
The Trouble with Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth can cause several problems to adults, especially since it's an issue that doesn't come up until later in someone's life. For this reason, many adults aren't prepared to handle this oral care problem. Additionally, the boundless information on the internet can point to inaccurate answers for crucial questions on everything about wisdom teeth.
In this article, we'll answer five frequently asked questions on wisdom teeth.
1. Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth used to be essential for early humans when the food available was too tough for our first two molars to break down. Since our ancestors' early diet contained nuts, leaves, and meat, they had to chew them down properly before swallowing.
After developing tools for hunting and cooking, humans no longer needed to bite on tough and course food. While it may take a few more generations before humans permanently stop wisdom teeth from growing, removing wisdom teeth is the next best solution.
2. When do Wisdom Teeth Show Up?
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, tend to appear between 17 and 25. Removing them as soon as they show up is generally the best solution to provide further complications. However, some wisdom teeth may not be impacted, so they can grow without breaking through the gum or pressing on a neighboring tooth. You'll need to undergo an x-ray at a dentist's office to confirm the position of the tooth and the approach for proper removal.
3. Does Everyone Have Wisdom Teeth?
Surprisingly, not everyone develops wisdom teeth. This is true for over 35 percent of individuals because humans are slowly growing beyond the need to use them. If there are no signs of wisdom teeth in your x-rays, count yourself lucky in avoiding the procedure of removing them.
4. What Happens When You Don't Remove Wisdom Teeth
As mentioned above, a wisdom tooth can be impacted if they are pushing against gums or neighboring teeth. This can lead to several complications like teeth misalignment or crowding. Additionally, the force pressed by the impacted tooth can lead to chronic pain, jaw ache, gum injection, and bad breath due to bacteria buildup.
5. Is it Painful to Remove Wisdom Teeth?
Like removing any tooth, wisdom tooth extraction should be painless since a dentist will apply an anesthetic in the area. Depending on the tooth's positioning, the time it takes to remove the tooth may vary. Although wisdom tooth extractions are common, only an expert can navigate the sensitive areas surrounding a wisdom tooth.
If you put your wisdom tooth removal treatment to an amateur, you could experience swelling, bleeding, sinus problems, and nerve damage afterward. While there should be a degree of discomfort for two to three days, you shouldn't have these symptoms if the operation went smoothly.
Conclusion
Besides giving you essential information on different illnesses and medical conditions, you can also use it to contact the right dental professionals. While Wisdom teeth removal isn't always mandatory, it's necessary to get your teeth checked to confirm if it's impacted. If so, you'll need a dentist to deliver a pain-free procedure to prevent further complications with your oral health.
If you need to receive wisdom tooth removal in Ann Arbor from reliable professionals, our team can help. At Dental House, our years of experience allow us to deliver precise and pain-free solutions for your dental concerns. Book a visit to our clinic today!