Ce este si la ce varsta ies maselele de minte?

Wisdom teeth are defined as the third molar that erupts in the arches, most commonly between the ages of 18 and 24. There are cases where they can appear in the arches even later, after the age of 24.

Normally, there are four wisdom teeth: two upper and two lower. In many cases, their number tends to decrease, with patients not having all their wisdom teeth. The tendency for them to be absent is considered to be an evolution of the human species, considering that, in the past, humans required a larger dentition to help them grind food. 

Over time, humans have changed their eating habits, opting for processed, softer foods, for which they no longer exert the same force during the chewing function.

Why should wisdom tooth extraction be performed? 

Some people do not experience any symptoms or signs during the eruption, the wisdom teeth align correctly behind the 12-year-old molars and do not cause any complications. On the other hand, there are people who may experience a number of symptoms. Complications caused by the eruption of wisdom teeth can be local or distant.

 LOCAL complications are: 

• Inflammations

The gum over the tooth, before it erupts into the arch, becomes red, swollen, and can cause pain that ranges from a simple aching discomfort to severe pain. This inflammation is called pericoronitis and can be treated surgically by excising the portion of the mucosa covering the tooth.

• Dental caries 

Due to their very posterior position in the arch, patients have difficulty cleaning their wisdom teeth, so that bacterial plaque and food debris stagnate at their level, causing cavities. Untreated cavities in the early stages become complicated, advance, grow in size, and can reach the level of the dental nerve, where it causes inflammation with the presence of severe pain. Thus, a root canal treatment is resorted to, which most frequently, in wisdom teeth, is problematic due to the complexity of the canals.
Wisdom teeth can also cause cavities in neighboring teeth. In some cases, wisdom teeth erupt in non-physiological positions, may have an oblique, horizontal orientation, or may rest on the tooth in front of them, exerting forces that, over time, cause cavities to appear.

• gingivitis 

Due to the stagnation of bacterial plaque and food debris on the gums in that area, local gum inflammation may occur, which manifests itself as bleeding when brushing, swelling and pain. Untreated, gingivitis can evolve into periodontitis (known to patients as "periodontitis"), the bacteria migrate to the bone level, generating bone loss which, over time, generates tooth mobility.

• Cysts and tumor formations 

Also due to their frequently non-physiological position, orientation towards the cheek or towards the tongue, wisdom teeth can cause lesions or "wounds" on the mucous membranes through trauma resulting from mastication. Also, wisdom teeth that do not erupt on the arches and remain included in the bone can develop cysts or tumor formations. These are easily diagnosed with a panoramic x-ray. 

DISTANT complications caused by the eruption of wisdom teeth are represented by crowding of the teeth in the frontal areas. Wisdom teeth that do not have enough space in the arch to erupt have eruption spurts that push the existing teeth forward, to create the necessary space. Dental crowding, on the one hand, leads to the formation of retentive spaces for bacterial plaque, and on the other hand, changes occur in terms of mastication and aesthetics, requiring the intervention of an orthodontist .

What does wisdom tooth extraction involve?           

There are two situations: 

1. The wisdom teeth are erupted, visible in the oral cavity. In this case, the extraction proceeds like any routine extraction.
2. The wisdom teeth are not erupted, they are included at the bone level. In this situation, under local anesthesia, the tooth is exposed through an incision at the gum level, the bone that blocks access to the tooth is removed and then the tooth is extracted. Finally, the incision line is sutured, and the wires are removed after 7-10 days according to the agreement with the attending physician. 

In Life Dental Spa dental clinics , after wisdom tooth extraction, we use the advantages of the dental laser to perform local biostimulation, which accelerates healing, reduces inflammation and pain, and speeds up recovery.

What are the indications after wisdom tooth extraction?

As after any surgical intervention, the patient is advised to rest and not to perform demanding activities. The patient should know that, in the post-extraction socket, a clot is formed that should not be mobilized in any way from the site of formation, this representing the natural way of healing and regeneration of the bone. Therefore, at that level the patient should not exercise suction, should not put the tongue or finger and on the day of the extraction it is not recommended to rinse with mouthwash. 

It is also recommended to maintain strict local oral hygiene, brushing is performed normally, with the mention of not irritating the area where the intervention was performed with the toothbrush. It is recommended to avoid traumatizing the operated area, to avoid smoking and alcohol consumption, to avoid consuming hard, irritating, spicy foods, consumed at extreme temperatures (hot or very cold) with the recommendation of consuming semi-solid and liquid foods (purees, soups, smoothies).

What are the possible complications? 

It is normal for some people to experience slight bleeding, local pain, swelling, bruising, and jaw stiffness with limited opening of the oral cavity after wisdom tooth extraction.

If you need a wisdom tooth extraction, don't hesitate to contact one of our Life Dental Spa clinics or schedule an appointment online right here .