Wisdom Teeth Extraction
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#2a2a2a” divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”3.2″ max_width=”50px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||10px|” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_intensity_slide=”30%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%”][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Subtitle” _builder_version=”4.0.5″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.8em” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”1035px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|8px|119px|||” custom_padding=”|||0px||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_intensity_slide=”20%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%” hover_enabled=”0″]What are wisdom teeth?
Most of us will develop a third molar set of teeth called more popularly the wisdom teeth. They usually break (erupt) through the gum tissue after the age of 17 and they were named for the time at which they make their appearance (between the ages of 17 and 25). Time when a young person might be pursuing wisdom with higher education.
Not everyone gets a painless experience when their wisdom teeth start to grow and some think that they should be named torture teeth. In general, third molars can partially erupt, whereas others will stay completely buried under the tissue. Some people never develop them, although a few will get 4th molars. Fortunately, these are rare.
The procedure of wisdom teeth extraction
Your dentist or oral surgeon will explain the process of wisdom teeth removal. It can be done under:
- Local anesthetic, which completely blocks pain from your teeth and gums while you stay awake.
- General anesthetic instead, may be a solution for you, if teeth are difficult to remove or you feel anxious.
It is very important to tell your doctor your entire medical history, problems with the anesthesia or if you are prone to bleeding heavily. Your dentist may choose to take some X-ray images of your mouth, prior to surgery. It is required from patients to fast between 6 and 12 hours before surgery, if done under general anesthetic and a light meal and some fluids are permitted before surgery, if done under local anesthetic.
Wisdom teeth: to extract or not?
The extraction is usually done before going to college; but sometimes it is not necessary. First and foremost remember that your teeth are not everyone’s teeth. We are all different and some people in their 60`s can have four functioning wisdom teeth and they kept them because they were all fully erupted and functional.
The latest guidelines suggest that if you are 35 years old and wisdom teeth are not yet in your mouth, leave them alone, but check on them in x-ray every few years. If something is not broken do we need to fix it? It is your dentist who will evaluate the situation, but you have your say in the matter too.
Several factors need to be considered when evaluating wisdom teeth:
- The health of the second molar
- The presence of the gum disease
- The age of the patient
- The risk of dental crowding .(Many of us do not have room for our 3rd molars and dental crowding can become a problem, thus extraction can be a solution).
If you don’t have any problems after the eruption of your wisdom teeth, like infection, pain, swelling or jaw stiffness, impacted third molars, or any of the above suggested problems you should probably leave your teeth alone. One thing is clear though and everyone agrees:
The hard-to-reach location and awkward positioning makes brushing and flossing difficult and we all know that oral hygiene is important for the overall health, so keep flossing and brushing wisely and daily.
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