Whether wisdom teeth should be removed or not is decided by a professional dentist based on the results of the patient's examination and evaluation.
Just because you have wisdom teeth doesn't mean you're smarter
Ms. Zhang came to the hospital again with her chin covered, this time because her wisdom teeth were inflamed, and the symptoms were more severe than last time.
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last group of teeth to erupt in the human mouth. Since they usually begin to erupt in early adulthood, this period is generally considered to be the period of intellectual maturity of an individual, hence the name wisdom teeth. In fact, the presence of wisdom teeth is not directly related to a person's level of intelligence. In ancient times, rough dietary conditions required humans to have strong chewing power, and wisdom teeth could "show their skills". With the refinement of modern diet, the functionality of wisdom teeth has gradually decreased, and in the process of human evolution, the relative shrinkage of the jaw bone has led to insufficient space for wisdom teeth to erupt.
The eruption of wisdom teeth in modern humans varies from person to person. Some people have wisdom teeth that erupt normally without causing any problems, while others experience various complications such as impacted birth, crowding, etc. Some people may already have wisdom teeth during adolescence, and some people do not have signs of wisdom teeth eruption until middle age or even old age. There are also people who may never erupt or have no wisdom teeth at all. These conditions are very common.
Do wisdom teeth really have to be removed?
Many people ask this question when they are told by their doctor that they need to have their wisdom teeth removed: "Do I really have to have them removed?" The doctor may reply, "An inflamed wisdom tooth is like an appendix, which is not only useless, but also causes all kinds of trouble: the wisdom tooth may rot on its own, or it may grow horizontally, destroying the adjacent tooth; Or brush the sense of presence from time to time, so that you can hurt a little, and it hurts again; It may even cause inflammation of the surrounding teeth, making you feel painful; The most frightening thing is that it can further develop into an odontogenic cyst or tumor, with very serious consequences! ”
Therefore, if it is wisdom teeth in the following cases, it is recommended that you remove them quickly.
1. If it causes pain, long pain is better than short pain, pull it out!
2. If the tooth is stuffed, the tooth plug is more uncomfortable than the heart plug, pull!
3. If you threaten your neighbors, decisively "abandon the pawn and protect the handsome", pull it out!
4. If there is no occlusal tooth, the longer it grows, the longer it will lead to caries, and it will be extracted!
5. Those who have been mothed are "embarrassed" with bacteria, pull them out!
6. It doesn't hurt now, but it may "mutiny" in the future, pull it out!
7. During the preparation for pregnancy, it is necessary to prevent the wisdom teeth from coming out during pregnancy and pull them out before pregnancy!
8. Prepare to immigrate abroad, considering the high price of tooth extraction abroad, extract in advance!
Of course, whether wisdom teeth should be removed or not is up to a professional dentist to make a decision based on the results of the patient's examination and evaluation. Proper oral care and regular dental check-ups can help prevent wisdom tooth-related problems, or identify and resolve them in a timely manner.
The best time to remove wisdom teeth
Wisdom tooth removal is a minor operation, but it should be done as soon as possible. Young people aged 16~20 years old should have their wisdom teeth removed as soon as possible if they find that there is insufficient space for wisdom teeth to erupt during oral curved tomography or CT examination. Why is 16~20 years old the best time to extract wisdom teeth?
The roots of wisdom teeth usually begin to form around the age of 18 and complete the development at the age of 20~25. The roots have not grown well, so it is naturally easy to pull them out. At this time, the operation is less difficult.
Strong healing ability Younger people often heal and recover faster than older people. The recovery period after surgery is shorter and the risk of complications is lower.
Disease Prevention Tooth extraction can prevent potential complications such as crowded teeth, temporomandibular joint disease, periodontal disease, and damage to adjacent teeth.
Of course, the timing of wisdom tooth removal depends on the individual's specific circumstances, such as individual needs, wisdom tooth development, the patient's overall health and oral hygiene.
Not all wisdom teeth should be removed
Wisdom teeth in the following cases can be considered for retention.
Normal eruption and good function Wisdom teeth erupt in an upright position, causing no crowding or bite problems, and can be cleaned normally without causing pain or periodontal disease.
"Latent" wisdom teeth without symptoms If the wisdom tooth is completely buried in the bone, does not form a pathway to the other teeth in the mouth, is not surrounded by inflammation or infection, and does not cause any discomfort or potential harm, then such a wisdom tooth can usually be removed without extraction.
Wisdom teeth close to important anatomical structures Wisdom teeth removal may cause nerve damage if they are located in a location that makes removal a riskier procedure, such as if the root is very close to the inferior alveolar nerve. Then, in the absence of other health problems, it is a wise choice to keep your wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth that may be good for oral health In some cases, such as when adjacent teeth are damaged or missing, and wisdom teeth are in a healthy state, they may be used as part of a support tooth or orthodontic treatment, or as part of a future dental transplant, it is best to keep such wisdom teeth.
The decision to retain wisdom teeth should take into account the patient's age, the location of the wisdom teeth, the patient's oral hygiene habits, the potential impact of wisdom teeth on oral health, and the anatomy surrounding wisdom teeth. The dentist will provide professional advice based on the results of regular check-ups and the patient's specific situation.
Even if there are no problems with wisdom teeth at the moment, you still need to have regular check-ups because wisdom teeth can develop problems over time. For example, "latent" wisdom teeth that have no symptoms may eventually lead to cyst formation or damage to adjacent teeth.
Tips:
"How do I know if I have wisdom teeth?"
A simple method of observing and counting the number of teeth is not enough to accurately determine whether there are wisdom teeth or not. This is because a wisdom tooth may not have fully erupted, or it may be impacted, meaning it may be completely or partially buried in the gums or jawbone.
The most reliable way to know exactly if wisdom teeth are present, as well as their location, size and potential problems, is through an oral X-ray. X-rays can show the position, angle and whether there is enough space for wisdom teeth to erupt properly.
Source: Public Health magazine
Text: Gao Guojun, Department of Stomatology, Yanqing District Hospital, Beijing
Curator: Yu Yunxi
Editor: Luan Zhaolin Guan Zhongyao
Proofreading: Ma Yang
Review: Qin Mingrui, Xu Bingnan
This article has been certified by the original "original", the author Health Newspaper Co., Ltd., visit yuanben.io query [4G5ELDSS] for authorization