Wisdom Tooth Removal - How Wise is it?

Wisdom tooth removal is a procedure in which a person's molars or molar is taken out. Usually, human beings develop four more when they reach maturity, anywhere from the age of eighteen to twenty-five years old. These additional teeth can create some problems because many people have jaws that cannot accommodate their appearance. This is the main cause why these are removed.

Pros and Cons

Many dentists urge the extraction of these pearly whites when they appear. Most of the time, these late molars come out in irregular positions that can compromise the health of the oral cavity. Wisdom tooth removal is the recommended treatment for this. Extraction is beneficial especially when the individual is suffering from toothache and discomfort upon their appearance.

The grinding and chewing motion that the jaws go through upon eating can continually have an effect on them. Since these molars are latecomers, there is usually little or no space for them in the jaws. They still erupt, though, and come out in strange if not inconvenient positions. The extraction can ease the discomfort and the cramped space that usually occurs when they erupt. Other teeth also become crooked when these come out and the overall appearance and function of the mouth can be affected, such as the alignment and bite of the person. Extraction is also recommended, early on, in order to prevent these from happening.

In spite of these, many negative side effects also occur after wisdom tooth removal. In many cases, bleeding happens after the extraction of the molar. This may occur for a few days, around two to four days. Clotting should be expected around the third or fourth day and many dentists do not recommend persistent rinsing of the oral cavity. Persistent rinsing can dislodge the blood clots that should facilitate healing and may prolong the recovery period. Exertion is not recommended during the recovery period, about two weeks or more, due to the possibility that the clots might erupt. Infection might also set in if there is no post extraction medication which is supposed to prevent it. Dentists might also prescribe an anti-inflammatory drug.

Although there are instances when two or more teeth are extracted, many dentists do not recommend doing so. Taking it out can also cause other complications especially if there are fragments or chips left in the area due to the molar breaking off due to the pressure of extraction. Many people argue that many of these molars do not actually need to be extracted especially if they do not pose any problems. This may be true because many individuals do not have theirs pulled out and they have had no issues with them at all.

These are just a few of the pros and cons which surround wisdom tooth removal. As more and more insights and developments are studied, many people try to wait out their teeth and assess the situation before having them pulled out. They may or may not have issues with them after all.