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Wisdom Tooth Development: Will They Fit in Your Mouth?

Wisdom tooth pain sometimes accompanies the development of these teeth, but not always. Some people's wisdom teeth fit comfortably in their mouths, while other people just don't have room for extra teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the third molars, and they are the last teeth to come in, usually during a person's late teens. Around this time, a dentist should do a dental exam and also take x-rays. The wisdom tooth dentist can then suggest the best course.

If the molars are coming in straight, there's room for them, and the patient is not experiencing any pain or discomfort, then the dentist will likely recommend a wait-and-see approach, conducting regular exams to ensure no problems are developing.

But if the teeth aren't coming in straight, if they're butting up against other teeth, if there's not enough space for them, if the patient is experiencing mouth or tooth pain -- then the dentist will suggest wisdom tooth removal.

Highly impacted teeth may require fairly intense wisdom tooth surgery. The older a person is, the more difficult this procedure will be, so it's not a good idea to postpone treating tooth impaction.

But wisdom tooth extraction can be relatively quick and easy for most other patients. In addition, some patients may not need all four teeth removed. Some people don't even develop all four molars.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Oral Surgeons and Wisdom Tooth FAQ

Q. What is an oral surgeon?

A. An oral surgeon is a dentist that performs many aspects of surgery in and about the head area including wisdom tooth removal. They can perform simple to extremely difficult extractions, such as wisdom teeth extraction. They also perform dental biopsies and remove tumors in the head and neck region. Most place implants in the jaw for future restorations and do complex jaw realignment surgeries. They usually have four or more years of continuing education after graduating dental school, and most limit their practice to only oral surgery.

Q. What is oral surgery?

A. Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty of dentistry that includes diagnosis, surgical, and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the head, face, mouth, teeth, gums, jaws, and neck. An example of oral surgery would be extracting an impacted wisdom tooth or even extracting multiple impacted wisdom teeth.

Q. What are wisdom teeth?

A. Wisdom teeth are third molars. Normally people have three permanent molars that develop in each quadrant of the mouth; upper, lower, right and left. The first molars usually grow into the mouth at around six years of age. The second molars grow in at around age 12.

The third molars, wisdom teeth, usually will try to grow in at around age 18 to 20 years. Since that is considered to be the age when people become wiser, third molars gained the nickname, "wisdom teeth".

Actually, wisdom teeth are no different than any other tooth except that they are the last teeth to erupt, or grow into the mouth. Wisdom teeth are just as useful as any other tooth if they grow in properly, have a proper bite relationship, and have healthy gum tissue around them.

Q. Why do wisdom teeth cause problems?

A. Wisdom teeth cause problems because the shape of the modern human mouth may be too small to accommodate these teeth. As a result, they become impacted, or unable to come in or move into their proper place.

When wisdom teeth are prevented from erupting into the mouth properly, they are referred to as impacted. Teeth that have not erupted are not necessarily impacted. It may be that it is still too early in someone's dental development, and if time passes they might grow in properly. A dentist must examine a patient's mouth and his or her x-rays to determine if the teeth are impacted or will not grow in properly.

Impacted wisdom teeth may cause problems. Impacted wisdom teeth can result in infection, decay of adjacent teeth, gum disease or formation of a cyst or tumor from the follicle, which is the tissue which formed the crown of the tooth. Many dentists recommend removal of impacted wisdom teeth to prevent potential problems.

Q. What problems occur from partially erupted wisdom teeth?

A. Partially erupted wisdom teeth are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs that may cause infection, and cysts and tumors may grow on a trapped wisdom tooth. Jaw pain and gum disease may occur.

Partially erupted wisdom teeth can cause problems with the teeth in front of them, such as decay, bone loss, or root resorption. Any soft tissue which may is partially covering them is subject to infection. Again, if any of your wisdom teeth are partially erupted, you may want to carefully consider extraction. Not all wisdom teeth cause problems.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.