We can talk a lot about wisdom teeth. Many believe that they are necessary, while others believe that they are an evolutionary relic and believe that they must be removed immediately after their appearance. In the material we will tell what wisdom teeth are, when they are to be treated and whether they need to be removed if there is a need for it. You will also see photos of wisdom teeth and a video dedicated to them.
As you can see in the attached photos, each wisdom tooth is the last in a row on each side of the jaw, among the three molars — the large molars. In the total number of the dentition, each of them is the eighth in a row, therefore, dentists often call them simply eights.
They, as a rule, erupt from a person, starting from the age of majority and up to about 25 years, sometimes longer, everything is purely individual. There may be cases when they do not cut at all and are in a state of primordia for the whole life of a person. Sometimes they grow in such a way that apart from the removal, the adjacent teeth and the oral cavity cannot be saved.
Wisdom teeth are arranged symmetrically to each other on each side of the jaw. Outwardly, they are no different from other molars and have a hollow on the surface that is present on all chewing ones.
The main feature of wisdom teeth are their roots, their number on each of them can reach from two to five pieces, in some cases there is a fusion of the roots, it can also be observed the appearance of the eight in an unusual place for it.
We bring to your attention the introductory video on the growth of wisdom teeth.
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Origins and scientific theories about wisdom teeth
Most people believe that they are so called that way because of their timing of appearance, when a person is already an adult and has some sort of knowledge, that is, wisdom.
As the Slavic legends say, they could appear in a person only when he learned from experience their ancestors and reached spiritual maturity. Thus, the ancients chose as guardians of the clan only those who had all four eighths. However, all these are legends and beliefs, there are scientific theories about the appointment of eights and an evolutionary explanation of their presence.
Thus, many scientists adhere to the theory that a man in ancient times needed eights for better chewing of food, because at that time food was more rigid and people were not able to process it, therefore it took more effort to use it than modern people.
There are also the following theories:
- in the course of evolution, the human jaw became smaller, and genetic memory still store information about the eighth;
- wisdom teeth are the source of stem cells, so they are often suggested to be frozen and stored after removal in order to create stem cells.
However, despite the fact that in most cases the eighths do not carry functional loads and many tend to remove them, they often help in old age when they are used as fasteners for prostheses when installing bridges.
It is worth noting that more and more dentists are seeing people lack of rudiments of eights. Perhaps evolution still takes its toll and over time they will cease to appear in people in general.
Development and teething wisdom
Few people know, but the wisdom tooth begins to develop in early childhood, long before its eruption. Their development is as follows:
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the number of future wisdom teeth is determined already at the age of three, when a person has the beginnings of all permanent eights; - crown is formed by 12 years;
- the eruption process begins at about 17–22 years old and lasts about a few months, sometimes accompanied by severe pain, which may result in subsequent removal.
Eruption may be accompanied by fever, chills, severe pain and general discomfort. Why is this happening? The fact is that, unlike the others, there was no milk tooth on the spot of the figure eight, and it grows through healthy bone. After the eruption, the process of formation of the root system, which is completed by about 25-30 years.
Negative symptoms and signs of eruption
Very often when a figure of eight appears such unpleasant complicationsfor which it is to be removed or treated:
- inflammation of the tissue and the appearance of the so-called hood, which partially covers the eight and the gum. Because of such a hood, food begins to accumulate, and this can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria and infection. Sometimes the hood begins to fill with pus. In advanced cases, the hood should be removed using local anesthesia;
- swollen cheeks and gums, earaches;
- a retained tooth, which is entirely covered with bone tissue or gum. This phenomenon contributes to the development of caries and can destroy the neighboring indigenous molars;
- Incorrect tilt or incomplete cutting. Sometimes the wrong inclination of the eight provokes pressure on other teeth, or on the cheeks and tongue. In some cases, this phenomenon provokes the resorption of the roots of adjacent teeth;
- appearance of a jaw cyst due to the eruption of a wisdom tooth. The cyst accumulates fluid that can destroy the dental walls. Sometimes it grows asymptomatic, and it can only be detected by X-ray.
How many wisdom teeth can grow in a person
According to the well-known generally accepted norm, the total the number of teeth is thirty two, including all four wisdom teeth. However, there is no such rule or rule, according to which the eight must appear in a person without fail all four. Someone may have one or two, someone may not grow at all.
It depends, in particular, on human genetics. If a person in the family suffered a great deal during the eruption of wisdom teeth, if there were often procedures for their removal, then representatives of the next generation might have no rudiments.
Also, the number of eights is influenced by factors other than heredity:
- the number of eights buds available;
- jaw size;
- its shape.
In addition, there is an unverified theory that wisdom teeth pains may indicate the presence of ischemic heart disease and other heart-related ailments in humans.
Removal of wisdom teeth: when they need to be removed
It is clear that the removal can not be prescribed without the recommendation of a doctor and without good reason. And why should they be removed when they do not bother. Also, do not rush to remove and with pain, in some cases, the teeth are treated and removal can be avoided.
Removal is assigned unequivocally with the following indications:
- if pain has become a cause of chronic inflammatory processes and cannot be cured and filled up, it should be removed;
- if partial eruption occurs and the mucous membrane in the mouth is injured, causing pericoronitis;
- if the wisdom tooth provoked a displacement or destroyed the adjacent teeth, it should be removed before it destroyed the rest;
- sometimes wisdom teeth are removed with complex orthodontic treatment;
- if the eruption of the wisdom tooth causes pain of a neurotic character, such as a migraine, it must be removed.
Removal can provoke such complications, as:
- the well after removal remains dry and does not form a clot that prevents the formation of infectious foci;
- numbness of the tongue or gums, part of the cheeks or chin, trauma to the nerve endings when removed.
How to properly care for the oral cavity after the removal of eights
As a rule, in most cases, people endure the procedure for removing wisdom teeth without complications, and the subsequent healing of wounds occurs without problems. However sometimes severe pain may occurIn such cases, the doctor prescribes an anesthetic that can suppress them.
It is not recommended to drink alcohol, smoke, eat too hot, too hot or too cold for 24 hours after the removal procedure. Rinse the mouth after removal should be no extra effort and not immediately after surgery, but at least the next day after it.
Designate a wisdom tooth extraction procedure can only dentist. It is definitely removed with improper growth, the appearance of cysts, injuries of the gums and mucous membranes, as well as with pulpitis. Not all pain sensations are indications for the removal of the eight.
If he grew up and does not cause much discomfort, then he should be properly looked after, so that later he would not have to remove it and suffer from pain. If it comes out of the gums, it needs to be remineralized and coated with sealant to prevent the development of caries.
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