WISDOM TEETH

When should wisdom teeth be extracted?

Wisdom teeth are teeth that erupt between the ages of 16-25. In some cases, it is seen that they erupt outside this age range.

*It is difficult to clean when it is the last tooth in the mouth. For this reason, erupted wisdom teeth can decay and cause pain and bad breath. Extremely damaged wisdom teeth are extracted because root canal treatment often fails due to their complex root structures.

*Wisdom teeth may not erupt when there is a lack of space in the jaws. In such a case, some of these teeth may erupt and some of them may remain impacted. In this case, which we call half impacted teeth, infection occurs in the area where the tooth pierces the gum due to food getting stuck and not being cleaned completely. Swelling, pain, redness, pain radiating to the neck and ear occur in the gum. Opening the mouth and swallowing becomes difficult. To avoid such a situation, half impacted wisdom teeth should be removed.

In some cases, wisdom teeth are not visible in the mouth at all. However, an X-ray shows that they are formed inside the jawbone. Impacted teeth in a horizontal position can cause root erosion by pressing on the roots of neighboring teeth. This can lead to extraction of the tooth in front of the wisdom tooth without any decay. Wisdom teeth that put pressure on neighboring teeth should be removed to avoid tooth loss.

*Cysts can form around the roots of impacted teeth that have not been noticed over the years. These cysts can grow and cause weakening of the jawbone in that area. To prevent cyst formation, wisdom teeth are extracted.

*Sometimes wisdom teeth should be extracted in patients who will receive orthodontic treatment in order not to affect the treatment. In orthodontic treatments, there may be cases where crowding and bite disorders are treated by shifting the teeth to the wisdom teeth area.

* In cases where wisdom teeth erupt towards the cheek, wounds due to compression may occur on the cheek due to the constant interference of the cheek during biting. In such cases, wisdom teeth must be extracted.

Which wisdom teeth cannot be extracted?

Wisdom teeth that have erupted properly in jaws without space constraints and have a normal relationship with the opposite wisdom teeth and cheeks do not need to be extracted.