Michigan Replacing Teeth

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

People often ask, "Why do we have wisdom teeth if there is no room in the jaws for them?" The answer has a lot to do with diet. In an article titled "Management of Asymptomatic Impacted Wisdom Teeth" in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, the author noted that the average, highly abrasive diet of Neolithic man wore down his teeth, which caused a reduction in molar size from front to back.

This size decrease from the abrasive food which man consumed allowed for the forward migration of the teeth and thus created adequate space for the eruption of a wisdom tooth or teeth. Less wear occurs in modern man because of the arrival of processed foods and the reduced amount of chewing necessary to consume food.

Combining this with a decrease in the loss of teeth and cavities as a result of modern dentistry requires people nowadays to address at least one impacted or partially impacted wisdom tooth through dental surgery.

+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 Surgery for Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction - TMJ

If you're having problems with TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction), your diagnosis doesn't have to be guesswork. Your dentist or oral surgeon can see joint structures clearly and start your treatment with confidence.

You or someone you know may have had arthroscopic surgery to fix a knee, shoulder or hip injury, especially if the injury was sports related. But more and more dentists and are using this amazing tool for jaw disorders.

The arthroscope is a small microscope that is inserted into the jaw joint to monitor the surgery. We can watch closely as intrusive tissues -- that limit jaw mobility and impinge on nerves -- are cleared away.

Since the arthroscope is less than 2 millimeters, there's no need for sutures and you won't experience any scarring.

This procedure is done under general anesthesia and requires a short hospital stay. You may also need therapy to limber jaw movement. The good news is that patients who have arthroscopic jaw surgery experience almost immediate relief from their TMJ symptoms and a rapid recovery.

+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.