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Hobsonville Point Dental Discuss the 'Wisdom' of Having Wisdom Teeth Removed

Wednesday 30 November 2016, 4:37PM

By Beckie Wright

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We have all probably wondered why wisdom teeth are so named. After all, if wisdom teeth lived up to their name, surely it would make sense to leave them in our mouths – to give us more wisdom! However, there is a more mundane reason as to why we have wisdom teeth. Like our tonsils and appendix, they are vestigial leftovers from our hunter-gatherer ancestors, who had smaller brains, bigger jaws and diets that required more chewing.

Wisdom teeth or third molars, are the third and final set of molar teeth to erupt and they usually do so in the late teens to early twenties and notoriously cause problems as most people do not have enough room in their mouth to accommodate them.  This results in the wisdom teeth trying to erupt at the wrong angle, and becoming ‘impacted’, remaining trapped under the gum and bone, or only half erupted.

When an impacted wisdom tooth tries to erupt, the overlying gum may swell and cause pain, which may also be felt in nearby teeth or the ear on that side.  A partially erupted tooth can collect food and other debris, which can lead to gum swelling and an infection called pericoronitis. If untreated, this infection can spread toward the throat or into the neck.  Impacted teeth may also cause cysts and other benign (harmless) jaw tumors.  For many people the solution is to have them removed to prevent further dental problems

Generally, it is best to have impacted wisdom teeth removed in the late teens to early-twenties, the reason being they are easier to remove because the bone is softer and more resilient, and the roots are still developing.  As we age, the bone surrounding the tooth becomes harder, making the surgery correspondingly more difficult.  

As with any surgery, there are always risks with pain and swelling and some bleeding occurring after wisdom teeth have been removed, but the friendly, caring team at Hobsonville Point Dental are there to allay any fears. They offer a wide range of general dentistry services which means that they are there for their patients and their families for whatever they require, so for more information on Hobsonville Point Dental and their dental services, please visit the website at http://www.hobsonvillepointdental.co.nz .