Knowing when to get your wisdom teeth can be tricky. There seems to be an ongoing debate among dentists about the best age and circumstances for getting them taken out. Deciding to extract the third molars (AKA wisdom teeth) is not as cut and dry as many people believe. Several factors come into play such as:
- The Health of the Second Molar: Overall, adults have 32 teeth in their mouth. The second molars are the ones directly in front of the wisdom teeth and the health of those second molars is an important aspect to consider when deciding to keep or remove the wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth do not always come in like other teeth do, sometimes they are straight but other times they come in at an angle, encroaching on the second molar's space. Research suggests that second molars can be negatively effected by the eruption and presence of wisdom teeth depending on the state of the second molar when the wisdom tooth erupted. That research has also suggested that the effect the wisdom teeth will have on the second molars is influenced by the age of the patient. A teenager with the same circumstances as a 30 year old may be effected differently by the wisdom teeth.
- Presence of Gum Disease: Gum disease around the second molar before the eruption of the wisdom tooth has been correlated with increased bacterial growth and worsening gum disease for the second molar. Even if the wisdom teeth are impacted, they have negatively effect the gum disease around the second molars. Consequently, studies have shown a decrease in bacterial growth around the second molar after the extraction of the wisdom teeth.
- Age: Research has suggested that age effects complications and recovery after the removal of wisdom teeth as well as the health of the wisdom teeth if chosen to not remove them. Removing the wisdom teeth seems to be less complicated with a quicker recovery time if the patient is younger due to the wisdom teeth not having a fully formed root. As previously mentioned, age influences the amount of gum disease around the second molars which is exacerbated by the wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth also have a higher incidence of cavities due to be harder to clean. The number of cavities in the wisdom teeth tends to increase as a patient gets older.
- Dental Crowding: Many people blame dental crowding on the presence of wisdom teeth. While that cannot be confirmed through research (as researchers are not sure which comes first, the crowding or the effects of the wisdom teeth), it is clearer that wisdom teeth may have some effect on dental crowding.
Traditionally, panoramic x-rays were used to evaluate the positioning of the wisdom teeth and help the dentist decide whether or not to remove them. While panoramic x-rays provide a good full-mouth view, cone beam x-ray technology allows the dentist to see minute details in a 3D image. The extra details that are present in a cone beam x-ray further allow the dentist to suggest the need to as well as the best time for the patient to have wisdom teeth removed.
R. Eric Emery, DDS
Morgan A. Emery, DDS
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
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