As we know we will have a maximum of 32 teeth with 16 on each jaw, the lower and upper. When a child is born it will not have teeth and only after eight months teeth will start erupting. It is notable that teeth is a part of our body which is not present at the time of birth; and if we are destined to live longer, then also our teeth will go away from us. Perhaps, it is because nature prompts that in the infant stage of man there is no need for teeth and the food/milk will be fed in fluid form. Also if we live for a long time, say more than 80 years, we must not eat much. The initial teeth, which will be less than 28 in number which are called “Milk teeth” are temporary teeth and they will fall out and the permanent teeth will erupt between 10 to 13 years of age. The four remaining teeth are called “Wisdom teeth”, because they appear later than the other teeth, at an age when people are supposedly wiser than as a child.
Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 24 , and they may appear when older, younger, or may not appear at all. They are usually extracted when they affect other teeth, by their coming in sideways. Most people have four wisdom teeth, but it is possible to have more or fewer. Extra teeth are referred to as supernumerary teeth.
Normally wisdom teeth are removed to correct an actual problem or to prevent problems that may come up in future. Wisdom teeth are extracted in two general conditions:-
- When the wisdom teeth have already become impacted
- When the wisdom teeth could potentially become problematic if not extracted.
The presence of properly grown-in wisdom teeth will cause infections, by food particles trapped in the jaw area behind the wisdom teeth, where regular brushing and flossing is difficult and not effective. Such infections may be frequent, and cause considerable pain and lead to other complications.
When the wisdom teeth have grown in improperly it will cause the tongue to brush up against them. The tongue can tolerate it for a limited time, until it causes a painful sensation, to the point where the sheer pain can numb the tongue affected, and the area around it, part of the lips, and the cheek. The numbness feels similar to the feeling of anesthesia, and nerves will be affected by the improperly growing in wisdom teeth.
The extraction of wisdom teeth should be done by dental professionals with proper training and experience performing such extractions. Some of the problems after removal of wisdom teeth are unavoidable and natural, while others are under the control of the patient. Bleeding and oozing is inevitable and may last up to three days.
It is Wise to remove the Wisdom Teeth on Dental Consultation.