What Are Wisdom Teeth? | Wisdom Tooth
The wisdom teeth usually start to erupt at the age of 17 and complete their development towards the 20s. These teeth usually cannot find a place for themselves in the jaw and cannot fully erupt into the mouth and cause pain.
These teeth can damage both neighbouring teeth and gums and cause bad breath.
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How to Remove 20 Year Old Teeth?
After a local anaesthesia, you can easily get rid of wisdom teeth with extraction tools.
Treating these teeth by extracting them is the best choice to prevent bigger problems in the future.
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When Do Wisdom Teeth Come Out?
Wisdom teeth usually take their place in the mouth between the ages of 17 and 25. In some people, these teeth may erupt earlier or later; they may even not erupt at all and remain impacted. Lower jaw wisdom teeth usually erupt a little earlier than the upper jaw. This process varies depending on the genetic structure of the individual and the development of the jawbone. If the teeth that erupt in the early period are suitable for the jaw structure, they are included in the mouth without any problems.
Why Does a Wisdom Tooth Remain Impacted?
The main reason why wisdom teeth remain impacted is that the jawbone is unable to create space for the tooth. The shrinking of our jaw bones in the evolutionary process has left insufficient space for this third molar. If the tooth has difficulty erupting at the right time or stays in a horizontal position, it can also become impacted. In addition, in some individuals, the curved development of the tooth canal creates incompatibility with the bone structure and causes an impacted position. This condition is usually diagnosed by X-ray examinations.
Why do Wisdom Teeth Cause Pain?
The most common reason why wisdom teeth cause pain is that there is not enough space in the jawbone and the tooth is impacted or semi-impacted. In this case, the tooth can irritate the surrounding soft tissues and cause inflammation. At the same time, deviations in the direction of eruption can put pressure on the nerves and other tooth roots, causing severe pain.
Without proper hygiene, bacteria that accumulate around the tooth increases the risk of decay and infection. These symptoms are usually characterized by pressure, throbbing and biting sensations.
In Which Cases Should Wisdom Teeth Be Extracted?
The most common conditions when wisdom teeth need to be extracted are persistent pain, recurrent inflammation, tooth abscess and caries formation in neighboring teeth. In addition, due to the narrow jaw, the decision to extract may be taken because the crooked eruption of the teeth may damage the orthodontic order.
Your doctor may also recommend extraction in case of inflammation around the tooth called pericoronitis or if the tooth presses on the second molar. When the risk of cyst or tumor formation is determined, the operation is recommended in order not to leave the wisdom teeth unprotected.
What are The Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
- Swelling and tenderness in the mouth:
The area where the gum overlies the impacted tooth may show redness, swelling and sensitivity to pressure. It is typical to feel pain, especially when you press lightly on the gum. - Restriction of chewing and opening:
The inflammatory process in the soft tissue can affect the jaw muscles and joint, making it difficult to open the mouth fully. This creates a feeling of tension in the joint area when chewing. - Chronic bad breath and bad taste:
Bacteria that accumulate around the impacted tooth make it difficult to break down food, resulting in an unpleasant odor and a metal or sour taste in the oral environment. - Radiating pain in the face or jaw area:
Sometimes stimulation of the nerves around the impacted tooth can cause pain that radiates to the ear, temple or neck. This radiating pain can make it difficult to identify the true source. - Symptoms of pericoronitis (gingivitis):
Infection of the gingival flap over the impacted tooth can lead to fever, swollen lymph nodes and general malaise. - Abscess or pus accumulation in the gum:
In advanced cases, the infection causes pus to accumulate, creating tender, plump areas of tissue, which may provide temporary relief when the abscess bursts, but the risk of complications is high.
What happens if wisdom teeth are not extracted?
If problematic wisdom teeth are not extracted, complications such as gingivitis, pericoronitis, tooth abscess and decay of neighboring teeth can develop. In the long term, these conditions cause bone loss and gingival recession, seriously threatening oral health. It can also cause teeth to shift, leading to pain and clicking problems in the jaw joint. In rare cases, cyst or tumor formation may occur around the impacted tooth. Regular dental check-ups are important to prevent all these risks.
How Do 20-Year-Old Teeth Affect Oral Health?
When wisdom teeth are not cared for properly, they increase the risk of gingivitis and caries, and impair overall oral health. Even if the misalignment of the teeth negatively affects the chewing function, it leads to plaque accumulation in areas where the toothbrush cannot reach. This can cause irreversible damage to neighboring tooth roots and gums. In addition, wisdom teeth, which tend to erupt in different directions according to the jaw structure, can cause tooth alignment disorders and aesthetic problems.
Things to Consider After 20-Year-Old Tooth Extraction
It is very important to maintain the blood clot in the first 24 hours after wisdom tooth extraction; therefore, hard foods, use of straws and smoking should be avoided. Regular use of painkillers and mouthwash recommended by your doctor will speed up the healing process. Avoiding hot foods and drinks for the first few days will help reduce oral sensitivity. In addition, care should be taken to avoid direct contact with the extraction site while continuing the normal tooth brushing routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can take a look at the common questions asked by our patients and contact us for all other questions you are curious about.
No; depending on genetics, jaw structure and the development of tooth roots, wisdom teeth may never erupt or remain partially impacted in some people.
Impacted or crooked wisdom teeth are usually removed by minor surgery under local anesthesia; erupted and easily accessible teeth can be removed by simple extraction.
Yes; it can cause distortion in the tooth alignment by pressing the back or make post-treatment preservation difficult, so orthodontists always evaluate wisdom teeth before the treatment plan.
In cases of decay, inflammation or embeddedness, it can damage the surrounding bone tissue and neighboring tooth roots by compressing them; extraction is recommended if such risks arise.
An effort to erupt obliquely or impacted can lead to crowding in the tooth alignment within the jaw by exerting a pushing force towards the front teeth.
Bacterial plaque and food debris accumulated around partially erupted teeth can cause inflammation in the gum pockets (pericoronitis) and bad breath.
