Wisdom teeth – Reasons behind its misalignment, impaction and extraction

 

The space between our jaws is becoming smaller with evolution, as a result of lesser cases of tooth loss of, and the change in diet. As a result of lesser space in the dental arch, some of the teeth can become impacted and one such type is the Wisdom Teeth.

The wisdom teeth of a person are also known as the third molars. These teeth come in behind the 2nd molars, if there is room for them and they are aligned properly. They grow usually during a person’s late teens or early twenties. Usually there are four wisdom teeth: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right.

Wisdom teeth are a valuable asset to the mouth when they are healthy and properly positioned. However, problems may develop later on that may require their removal. When the jaw isn’t large enough to accommodate wisdom teeth, they become impacted i.e. unable to come in or misaligned. Wisdom teeth may grow sideways, emerge only part way through the gum or remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. Sometimes, the wisdom teeth may push the other teeth in the mouth forward and cause crowding and misalignment of the lower front teeth. The extraction of the wisdom teeth is always considered safe at a young age. This is because more is the age of the person, greater is the possibility of having complications during the surgery.