How many wisdom teeth does a person grow? How many wisdom teeth should a person have? Scientific theories about the purpose and evolution of wisdom teeth

Many people know firsthand that with wisdom teeth comes not so much wisdom itself, but unnecessary problems and discomfort. No one knows how many wisdom teeth can grow during a lifetime. Therefore, it is fair to call both their presence and their absence a norm.
In fact, a wisdom tooth is the most common molar. It has one peculiarity - it erupts too late, causing a lot of inconvenience to its owner. When to expect wisdom teeth to appear and how many times a person’s teeth grow in general – we’ll look at this in our article.

Wisdom teeth, or as they are affectionately called “eights”, are rudiments - organs that have lost their main purpose in the process of evolution. Our distant ancestors had 44 teeth- that’s how many teeth a person with wisdom teeth had before. This is directly related to the fact that food was rarely heat-treated - it was quite hard and tough, so it required more effort to chew it.

Pathological wisdom teeth must be removed

Now we hear the established expression “32 is the norm.” Just look at it! After baby teeth fall out, we develop a permanent bite. What does it consist of:

• 8 incisors, which are located in the front of the jaw and serve us for biting off food;
• 4 fangs - two in the upper and lower rows;
• 8 premolars - small molars, which are intended for chewing;
• 8 - 12 molars - for mechanical processing of food.

These molars include the notorious eights. In the period from 6 to 13 years, permanent molars and premolars are formed, and along with them - 8 molars (two each below and above - sixes and sevens). The remaining four are eights in a row - wisdom teeth.

How many wisdom teeth should there be?

The maximum possible number of eights is 4. And for each person they appear differently: for some they grow only from the bottom, for some - only from the top, and in others only one or three can grow.
Since our immediate ancestors' food becomes more and more soft and easy to chew, the need for the figure eight disappears. That's why some people don't grow them at all.

A complete picture of the location of the tooth can only be seen on an x-ray.

The eighth molars are formed between the ages of 12 and 14 - already at this age it is known, although it is not yet visible, how many wisdom teeth a person will have. And they begin to erupt in the period from 14 to 25 years.

This is a rather lengthy process, because before this, the molars did not have milk predecessors. Therefore, figure eights make their way through the formed bone tissue. In this regard, inflammation of the gums begins, the person’s temperature rises, and chills appear. This is a completely normal reaction of the body - in this case there is no need to worry.

For some people, eights only need a month or a month and a half to erupt. For some, on the contrary, eights appear in stages over 1-2 years. In the latter case, eruption is almost invisible and painless.

Complications of wisdom teeth

For some reason, it is believed that a person’s wisdom teeth appear when he gains rich experience and worldly wisdom. Let's put aside the lyrical digression and look reality in the eyes. Eights can appear at a fairly young age - at 17-20 years old. The difficulty of the molars leads to a number of complications in the oral cavity, which have to be dealt with in the dental office:

1. Non-physiological crown shape. In this case, the number eight is susceptible to caries, because Food gets clogged into the hollow, which is quite difficult to remove on your own. The process of rotting and inflammation begins. Therefore, there is always only one way out - removing the eight.
2. Prolonged eruption. If the process is prolonged, then only a small part of the crown rises above the gum. As a result, the gums around the molar swell, forming a so-called “pocket”. And in this pocket, inflammatory purulent processes begin - pericoronitis develops.
3. Impacted molar. Sometimes teeth don't have enough space in the mouth, so they begin to grow in a slightly chaotic direction. This is called a non-physiological position. The figure eight can rest against the cheek, causing irritation of the mucous membrane. It is quite common for the figure eight to grow into the jaw bone. A crooked molar puts pressure on the remaining molars and premolars, which sometimes leads to root resorption.
4. Narrow jaw. In this case, the figure eight begins to grow parallel to the jaw, i.e. in the horizontal direction. In this case, a gap forms between the seventh and eighth teeth, where food gets clogged. The patient cannot adequately clean the crevices on his own, so caries may occur in the cavity. Gingivitis and stone also develop on this basis.

Removing figure eights is advisable if they threaten oral health

In all of the above cases, dentists clearly recommend removing the figure eight. This is advisable if it bothers the patient, causes pain and poses a danger to healthy teeth. Sometimes removal can be quite difficult. After all, figure eights have 3-4 roots, which can grow together too tightly or, conversely, be quite wide.

Contents [Show]

An adult has 32 teeth, but not all of them appear in childhood. Four of them erupt no earlier than 17 years. Often this process is accompanied by severe pain. But many do not notice it and do not even know where the wisdom tooth is. These last molars, which look no different from the neighboring teeth, actually have some special features.

Even those people who know well where the wisdom tooth is located often do not understand why it is called that. It is believed that this is due to the fact that it appears at an age when a person already has some worldly wisdom. They are cut differently for each person, which confirms this theory. This usually occurs at the age of 17-20, but they can appear at 30 or even 40 years.

In ancient times, it was believed that these teeth grow only in those who have already acquired the meaning of life and reached psychological maturity. Therefore, in folk medicine it was believed that they could not be removed.

A photo of a healthy jaw of an adult shows that these molars are no different in appearance from neighboring teeth. They are located at the very end of the dentition and among dentists are more often called “eights”. These are the same molars with a large chewing surface, like the sixth and seventh.

This is how all teeth are numbered: on each jaw there are 8 teeth from the middle. It turns out that you can easily find out how many wisdom teeth an adult should have. One on the upper and lower jaw on each side - four in total. If one of them is missing, it means that it has not yet erupted or some problems have arisen in its development. Sometimes a person does not even have the rudiments of one or more of these molars. This may be caused by a hereditary predisposition or developmental characteristics of the jaws.

It is quite difficult to determine on your own where the wisdom tooth is located. Photos of the jaw, which can be found in the article, show that it is located at the very edge. But it’s difficult to see it in the mirror, and almost impossible to touch it with your tongue. Therefore, problems can only be avoided by regularly visiting the dentist.

All human teeth differ from each other in structure and function. In front are single-rooted teeth - incisors and canines. They are designed for biting food. On the sides there are premolars and molars with wide chewing surfaces. They are mostly multi-rooted. This is what a wisdom tooth is like. It belongs to the molars, and its structure does not differ in appearance from other similar teeth.

The differences lie in the characteristics of the roots. There can be from 2 to 5, which is not typical for other molars. If during removal one wisdom tooth root is found, it means that they have grown together, which happens quite often.

In the past, people didn’t even think about where a person’s wisdom tooth was located. It was one of 32 teeth and performed the same functions as the others. Back then, chewing food required a lot of effort, so he actively participated in that process. But over time, food became softer, and eighth molars began to be considered relics of the past. Therefore, they often cause serious problems that require them to be removed.

But many dentists note that pathologies arise due to the fact that the jaw of a modern person has become smaller, because he has to chew less hard food, which has become softer due to heat treatment. And knowing where the wisdom tooth is located, you can understand that there is often simply no room left for it to erupt.

Typically, by the age of 12, a person already has all 28 molars. And eights at this age are just being formed. They begin to erupt no earlier than 17 years of age. This process can last for a very long time, alternately slowing down and speeding up. Even after this tooth has fully erupted, its roots continue to form for several years. It turns out that it grows for about 10 years, and sometimes more.

Another feature of the figure eight is that it appears without preceding milk teeth. Therefore, he has to break through the jaw bones on his own. Because of this, severe pain and inflammation often occur in the place where the wisdom tooth erupts.

Almost all teeth appear in a person during childhood. Parents of children know what problems this process can entail. And knowing where the wisdom tooth is located, a person can take action if redness and itching of the gums appears in this place. It is better to consult a dentist in time and prevent complications. And the process of eruption of these molars is very often accompanied by pain. In particularly difficult cases, severe inflammation may occur.

If a person has formed all four rudiments of the eighth molars, this does not mean that they will all erupt. They can remain in the thickness of the jaw for various reasons. At the same time, dentists distinguish several types of such pathology.

Impacted wisdom teeth are the most common. This happens when it does not appear completely, part of it is covered by the jaw bone or gum. The reasons for this pathology may be its incorrect position, when the direction of its growth rests on the adjacent teeth or cheek. Sometimes he also does not have enough space in the dentition. Despite the fact that it is not visible, it is still a full-fledged tooth, susceptible to the same diseases as the rest.

With prolonged teething, when the gums are injured over several months, or even years, pericoronitis develops - inflammation of the mucous membrane.

If the figure eight begins to grow, but not up as it should, but to the side, the following pathologies may occur:

• when it rests on a neighboring tooth, it causes its destruction, the development of caries or periodontitis;
• if the figure eight grows towards the cheek, a compaction forms on the mucous membrane, which can develop into a cancerous tumor;
• when growing back, the tooth must be removed, otherwise serious complications may develop due to the formation of a hood from the gum and its inflammation;
• if it touches the tongue, it causes injury and inflammation.

The peculiarities of the location of the eights, the lack of space in the dentition, as well as the chronic calcium deficiency characteristic of modern people, lead to the appearance of many pathologies in the development of these teeth. They are most susceptible to the following diseases:

• as a result of the difficulty of cleaning them, tartar often forms on them;
• for the same reason, they are susceptible to caries, which can appear immediately after eruption;
• if caries is not treated in time, pulpitis or periodontitis develops;
• as a result of the fact that the wisdom tooth has to break through the strong gum tissue, severe inflammation often occurs, accompanied by general intoxication, weakness, and fever;
• if the upper tooth is destroyed, it can infect the maxillary cavity, which will lead to the development of sinusitis;
• pericoronitis is a severe inflammatory process of the soft tissues of the mucosa.

Do modern people need wisdom teeth? This question interests many, especially those who are faced with their pathologies. They believe that it is worth removing these molars as soon as they have erupted, because they can easily be dispensed with. The same opinion exists among foreign dentists. They try to remove wisdom teeth as soon as any problems appear. But there is another point of view. Russian doctors try to treat the pathologies of these teeth, removing them only if necessary:

• if they are incorrectly located and grow to the side;
• if they caused inflammation or damage to surrounding tissues;
• when caries treatment is impossible due to curved roots or difficulties in accessing them;
• if a fistula, abscess or cyst appears;
• when pericoronitis or osteomyelitis develops.

This procedure is usually more difficult than removing other teeth. This condition is explained by the deep location of the eight. It is also difficult to pull a molar often because it has several roots and they can be curved, often even in the form of hooks. This is especially dangerous when the figure eight is located in the upper jaw. When removed, the roots can damage the maxillary cavity.

Wisdom tooth removal requires mandatory pain relief. Modern drugs make this process completely painless. Pain may appear later, after the medication wears off, especially if the procedure was complex. It can last for several days, and even be accompanied by an increase in temperature. Complete healing of the hole usually occurs after a few months, although this place is painful for no more than 2 weeks.

But it is not always necessary to solve problems that arise in this way. Doctors try to cure this molar if there are missing teeth next to it. Then a free-standing wisdom tooth will be the basis for prosthetics. If it is just emerging, it can gradually move and take the place of the missing tooth.

There are also contraindications in which you should refuse removal completely or temporarily:

• severe inflammatory process in the oral cavity;
• acute infectious diseases;
• pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
• mental illness.

The pain from wisdom teeth erupting is usually very severe. The pain can spread to the entire jaw, as during the process of growth it moves adjacent teeth, causing compression of the nerve endings. This is due to the fact that the eight does not have enough space; it is forced to erupt, moving adjacent teeth. In addition, it breaks through the jaw bone and dense gums. For severe pain, it is recommended to take an Analgin or Ketorola tablet. You should not warm the sore spot or place various medications on the gums, especially if there is an inflammatory process.

You can rinse your mouth with a solution of salt and soda, but it should be cool. You can also use decoctions of sage, chamomile, lemon balm or oak bark for this. If there is inflammation, the gums can be lubricated with sea buckthorn oil. To alleviate the condition when teething wisdom teeth, if this process is not accompanied by complications, it is recommended to use the following solution: add a tablespoon of sea salt, 10 g of camphor alcohol and 100 ml of ammonia to a liter of cool water. A cotton wool soaked in this solution is applied to the gum for 10 minutes.

If a person had to find out where the wisdom tooth is located by the painful symptoms of eruption, it is better to immediately consult a doctor. Then you can avoid complications.

A wisdom tooth in humans is considered a vestigial organ - it is the 8th tooth in a row or the 3rd molar, which erupts at the age of 14-25 years. Their appearance and structure do not differ from a regular molar.

The structure of the human jaw has changed over time - it has become shorter because people switched to soft foods cooked over fire. As a result, the chewing load on the jaw has decreased.

It turns out that the third molar may simply not have enough space in the dentition, as a result of which it will begin to grow sideways or will not bother the person at all. But the rudiments of roots are laid in everyone during the period of intrauterine development.

Teeth are called “wise” because they erupt already in adulthood, when the formation of mental maturity ends and worldly wisdom begins to appear.

Eights appear quickly, but can cause inconvenience to a mature person for several years.

The process is accompanied by excruciating pain, increased body temperature, lethargy, numbness of the cheek, partial immobility of the jaw, and inflammation of the cervical lymph nodes.

If the tooth cannot erupt for a long time, you need to consult a dentist for incision and anesthesia of the gums to make it easier for it to move.

Where does the wisdom tooth grow, in what part of the dentition is it located? And they are located at the very end of the entire dentition on the upper and lower jaw.

They differ only in the structure of the roots - they are very curved and intertwined, so treating their canals is very difficult, because dentists often advise removing such a tooth as soon as it appears. In addition, “newbies” often appear with carious cavities.

The third molars are the only ones that do not grow in the place of the fallen milk teeth, although they do not perform the chewing function in full, as was the case with our ancestors, they still continue to erupt, why does the wisdom tooth still grow, although it is no longer there? necessary?

The answer to the question is very simple: despite the evolutionary development and reorganization of the human body to suit the environment, our DNA still carries information about these teeth.

They cause a lot of trouble to patients and dentists all over the world because they grow with pathologies and cause complications after eruption or removal.

The wise representatives are the extreme ones in the row on the upper and lower jaws, one each on the left and right. This location in hard-to-reach places creates difficulties in care and treatment.

Often, due to lack of space in the jaw arch, they do not erupt as they should and occupy a non-physiological position.

Wisdom teeth, especially the upper ones, can grow into the buccal side and thereby injure the mucous membrane of the cheek. The lower ones are cut with an inclination towards the neighbor standing next to them.

As a result, a gap appears between them, into which food falls and it is very difficult to remove it from there, resulting in the appearance of caries, the formation of tartar (hard plaque on the teeth) and plaques (soft plaque), pericoronitis and gingivitis. Such pathological disorders are difficult to treat, as a result of which the teeth are simply removed.

There is no exact norm for how many wisdom teeth there should be; nature prescribes the eruption of additional four eights, but evolutionary development allows for the presence of all four, as well as their complete absence or a smaller number. This happens due to hereditary memory from generation to generation.

If in one of the close relatives the eruption of the “sages” was accompanied by severe inflammation or operations were involved to remove them, in subsequent generations the rudiments may not form at all.

This is the reason for the appearance of people with one or two erupted “eights”. And even the rudiments of the root system are missing on the x-ray.

Thus, the number of wisdom teeth a person has, whether they will erupt at all, and how they are located on the jaw arch, depends on the size and shape of the jaw, the presence of tooth germs and hereditary predisposition.

10 thousand years ago, every adult had wisdom teeth, and currently, 15% of people do not even have the rudiments of “eights.” They have lost their chewing function because now cooked soft foods are eaten.

But extra teeth also have useful functions:

• serve as a support for bridge prosthetics;
• are a restraining element for loose neighboring teeth;
• act as spare ones due to the loss of the main chewing molars, since they partially perform the chewing function.

Healthy wisdom teeth are very rare in humans, therefore, if they erupted without complications and exactly along the jaw, then they should not be removed - they might come in handy.

There are specific indications for removal:

• incorrect position;
• its presence provokes acute inflammation;
• incorrect position disrupts the dentition;
• dental caries and impossibility of treatment;
• greatly interferes with the adjacent tooth.

Do not be afraid of removal - the presence of such a tooth can be much more dangerous and painful. But if it is possible to cure and save the eight, under no circumstances resort to removal.

After all, according to scientists, with the help of “eights” you can save a person’s life. How? Using stem cells contained in the pulp of a wisdom tooth.

Many interesting facts and beliefs are associated with wisdom teeth.

It is believed that if a person has all four “newcomers” erupting, then they protect his family from troubles. The owner himself is a very lucky person and achieves everything he sets his mind to.

In connection with the above belief, sick “eights” were reluctantly removed - they were afraid of losing the lucky seal. So that the teeth do not cause inconvenience, they are spoken.

It is still very rare for people to be born with as many as 32 teeth. They were considered sorcerers, cursed, or carriers of an important mission on Earth. Currently, the presence of complete dentition is considered a symbol of determination, strong-willed character and independence.

In case of problems with “eights”, they say that their owner is indecisive, does not think about the meaning of life, about his purpose in the world and does not make big plans.

Japanese scientists have proven the benefits of “eights” because they contain a reserve of special tissues on the basis of which stem cells can be created.

These cells carry the genetic information of the owner himself, as well as the entire prototype of all tissues of the human body, of which there are more than 240 types.

Stem cells are successfully used in the treatment of 70 diseases, where the treatment of tumors and blood cancer plays a significant role. They are used as an immune stimulant to improve vitality during indolent infections, loss of strength or chronic fatigue.

Stem cells have found application in sports medicine, since their effect significantly accelerates the healing process of wounds and injuries. In cosmetology they are used for rejuvenation, strengthening vitality and improving memory. In the future, scientists plan to use such useful components of the body to create organs and tissues for transplantation to people who need them.

Such possible changes are necessary due to the lack of donors for transplantation of internal organs, hearts, bone marrow, which are very difficult to find even for medical reasons, and such technology will save many sick children and adults. Until now, stem cells were obtained from bone marrow and blood, which is very painful and unsafe.

Scientists have found that soft pulp contains the material necessary for further work in large quantities. It can be easily and painlessly removed if necessary, and in case of extraction, the teeth should be frozen in case of an emergency.

This once again proves that there is nothing superfluous in the human body and everything that is given by nature is beneficial. Of course, problematic wisdom teeth should be removed to avoid complications.

But if they are healthy and normal, it is better to preserve them, take good care of them and treat them if possible. Situations may arise in life when “eights” will preserve health and save a person’s life.

Welcome to our blog! If you are interested in the question of how many wisdom teeth there are, then this is definitely the place for you?!

Now we will discuss wisdom teeth, the number of them that a person grows throughout his life and their functional purpose.

First of all, it is necessary to shed light on the category of “wisdom teeth” itself.

These teeth are also called figure eights, due to the fact that they are located immediately after the 7th teeth in each row (bottom and top). They finish the dentition and are the last to appear; in some people, wisdom teeth emerge at the age of 18-20, and in others much later. They do not have milk predecessors, like other teeth.

Many of you may be wondering why wisdom teeth have this name? Most likely, the name has remained since ancient times and is associated with its late appearance, when, according to our ancient ancestors, a person became fully adult.

So how many wisdom teeth does a person have? Ideally, there should be 4 of them (2 in the top rows and 2 in the bottom), but it happens that 3, 2, 1 or none at all are pecked.

There are several theories about the true purpose of eights, but modern science is now inclined to believe that these are rudimentary formations in our body, such as the appendix, which in the course of evolution have lost their primary characteristics. The likelihood of whether or not you will get wisdom teeth, and how many of them you will have, depends on your genetic predisposition.

Why is the question raised about the advisability of their presence in the oral cavity? The thing is that in most cases, their pecking brings a lot of discomfort to their owner.

Often, eights grow crookedly, pushing neighboring teeth, which leads to their gradual destruction and provoke inflammation of the gums and soft tissues in the oral cavity. If you turn to a dentist for help too late, you may run into troubles such as various diseases caused by the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

A wisdom tooth may grow too large and simply not fit in the dentition, which will lead to painful sensations during its pecking.

Therapeutic procedures that will need to be carried out from time to time for owners of eights can be complicated by their uncomfortable deep location in the oral cavity. Even an experienced doctor will not always be able to see the beginning of inflammation in this part. There are cases when a wisdom tooth is covered with a so-called “hood” - a part of the gum that overlaps it. Bacteria multiply under it very often and quite quickly, bringing pain, swelling and other unpleasant consequences. Therefore, most often, dentists decide to remove wisdom teeth if their subsequent treatment is not rational.

If no complications arise during the operation, then the removal procedure will take only 10 minutes, and the rehabilitation and recovery time after it, depending on the method of extraction, the age category of the patient, the presence or absence of infection and individual characteristics, can take 2-3 weeks.

I wonder how many wisdom teeth can be removed at one time? It all depends on what condition they are in. The doctor may decide to remove 2 teeth of eights in a row, but these are very rare cases. Most often, you can remove 1 tooth at a time.

Each person has a set of 32 teeth, 4 of which are wisdom teeth. It should also be mentioned that eights differ in the structure of their roots from other multi-rooted teeth in that the number of roots in them is difficult to determine.

Sometimes there are cases that they contain 5 roots, and only one (several fused into one large one). In terms of their structure, these are molars, and they are called third molars, since in front of each of them there are 2 more similar teeth in each dentition.

According to some studies, 8-11% of people do not develop wisdom teeth at all. Men are more likely to have missing upper teeth, while women are more likely to have missing lower teeth.

There are cases when 6 teeth of eights appear. Sometimes they cut through 2 at once on one side.

Eights appear on the lower jaw at approximately 20-25 years of age, although there are also cases of their early pipping at 15 years and quite late at 40 years. So how many wisdom teeth should be on the bottom? In theory there are 2 of them (one on each side), but it happens that only 1 appears or none at all.

The very anatomical structure of the lower jaw prevents the easy removal of wisdom teeth from the oral cavity, if necessary. Ordinary forceps, as in the case of the upper analogues, are not enough here. It is extremely difficult to fully capture it, especially if only 20-30% of it is on the surface. The density of the lower bone in the jaw is very powerful and massive, which requires considerable effort from the dentist to remove the figure eight.

The process of wisdom tooth removal is also complicated by the unpredictable number of roots that are located inside the jaw and their (quite likely) awkward position. Even if it is well loosened, the roots may have curved ends, which will greatly interfere with its extraction, and even worse, when they look in different directions, then the dentist has to make an additional incision in the gum.

Tools such as a drill, chisel and other dental instruments can play an important role in the safe removal of the figure eight. So, no matter how many wisdom teeth would have to be extracted, if they are in the lower jaw, the dentist will have to work hard.

Fluoroscopy greatly helps the doctor who is performing surgery to remove a wisdom tooth. It shows the exact location of not only the tooth itself, but also its roots and, more importantly, their direction. Based on the data obtained, the dentist decides how to remove it and what tools to use for more effective manipulations in the oral cavity.

Due to the fact that the wound obtained after removing the figure eight is quite large, a person may encounter consequences such as severe bleeding from the socket, gradually increasing pain, swelling of the cheek and gums, inflammation and suppuration of the walls of the socket (alveolitis) and others.

Despite the fact that the removal of wisdom teeth can lead to a long rehabilitation period, it is still necessary to remove them (if treatment is impossible).

The fact is that figure eights are located in a place where there are a large number of large vessels, various small muscles and entire clusters of nerves, which can be severely damaged by inflammatory processes in the wisdom tooth and the tissues located near it. In the worst case, it can even lead to death.

Imagine if an infection from the gums gets into a large vessel and spreads throughout the body? This will bring the most disappointing results. An unremoved wisdom tooth can lead to deformation not only of nearby teeth, but also to disruption of the integrity of the entire dentition and even to problems in the functioning of the lower jaw joint.

No matter how many wisdom teeth you have to remove, and no matter where they are located, you are unlikely to avoid bleeding. Especially on the lower jaw, in the area where they are located, there are a lot of soft tissues that the dentist will have to damage in one way or another. If a person has hypertension, or illnesses associated with blood clotting problems, when using anticoagulants, the process of blood loss may intensify or last longer than during the normal postoperative period.

Quite rarely there is paresthesia of a part of the face, nerve, tongue, cheek, etc. after removing the eight. This process leads to partial or complete loss of sensation in the area. With minor injury to the mandibular nerve, paresthesia goes away on its own within 1-2 weeks, and physiotherapeutic treatment and the use of special medications accelerate this process. In more rare cases, paresthesia after tooth extraction can persist for months and even be permanent. Fortunately, such cases occur quite rarely.

So, how many wisdom teeth are there in the upper jaw? The answer is very simple - the same as in the bottom - 2.

With the upper wisdom teeth, which are antagonists to the lower ones, things are much simpler; when their treatment is also problematic, their removal is easier than with their lower “brothers”.

It's all about their anatomical location. It is much easier to get to them with tongs and grab them in order to swing them and tear them out. Often the coronal part of such a tooth is clearly visible - this makes it easier for the dentist to perform surgical intervention.

Also, in many cases, the upper wisdom teeth have one large root. Its length is often not too long either. All these factors help to remove it quickly and almost painlessly. A tool such as bayonet forceps helps remove upper wisdom teeth that are severely damaged by caries. If a person seeks help from a dentist late, in places that are difficult to access to maintain hygiene (this is where the eights are located), pathogenic microflora begins to develop intensively and multiply, often leading to caries or other ailments.

An X-ray must be taken no matter how many wisdom teeth there are and no matter where they are located. This will enable the dentist to see the location of the roots, their number and the bending of their ends (if such a phenomenon is present).

All this will make a positive contribution to the course of the operation itself and will speed up the recovery period after its completion. The top eights are removed much less frequently than the bottom eights. The issue of removing a semi-impacted and impacted wisdom tooth in the upper jaw is approached from a professional position: if the tooth does not cause concern and does not create a clear threat of developing complications in the future, then it is usually not touched, but dynamic monitoring is carried out at least 1-2 times a year. The maxillary sinus is located very close to the upper wisdom tooth, and if the doctor removes it in several stages, dividing it into parts, this can lead to its fragments being sent there. Removing them from the sinus can be quite a problematic process. But if the figure eight cannot be extracted in its entirety at one time, then this option is quite acceptable.

Only due to intolerance to local anesthesia, panic or possible fainting, the attending physician can decide to use general anesthesia during the operation to remove the figure eight from the upper dentition. But this tooth is in a more advantageous position than its lower brother, so the need for this kind of manipulation is extremely rare.

Today we shed a little light on such concepts as how many wisdom teeth grow or can grow in a person throughout life, how the upper eights differ from the lower ones, and what problems the dentist may encounter when removing them, and the consequences after the operation for the patient? Unfortunately, the extraction of these teeth often leads to pain and is fraught with unpleasant consequences if you ignore the doctor’s recommendations during the rehabilitation period.

I hope this article was interesting and informative enough to find out the basic patterns of the functional purpose of wisdom teeth, their position in the oral cavity and the importance of maintaining hygiene in this part of the dentition.

Unlike canines and incisors, wisdom teeth erupt already at a conscious age, but even this fact does not reduce the number of questions about eights. Not even all adults know where the wisdom tooth is. It is worth noting that this topic is truly relevant, since the formation of the dentition is completed by the age of 18. There is no longer enough space in the oral cavity for new teeth, and it is not entirely clear in which place the figure eights should grow.

Where is the wisdom tooth located?

Why are they needed and when do they appear?

Nature never gives anything extra. This also applies to wisdom teeth. Despite the fact that they have lost all their functions in the process of evolution quite a long time ago, eights can still be useful, especially in old age. When the seventh tooth is lost, all or some of its functions are assigned to the wisdom teeth. They are also used as a support for bridge prosthetics. The correct location and absence of health problems of eights makes them full-fledged components of the human dentition. But even such advantages cannot cover all the problems that can be encountered during the eruption of wisdom teeth.

Wisdom tooth

As you know, first baby or temporary teeth appear in a child’s mouth, and they are replaced by permanent ones. The change process begins around the age of 6, and ends at 13. The eruption of eights occurs from the age of 18, but they can appear much later. There are cases when wisdom teeth do not erupt at all, so if they have not appeared by the age of 28-29, then most likely they will not grow back.

On a note! The scientific literature describes cases where eights began to erupt at the age of 40. This happens, but very rarely.

Teething in children

Where do wisdom teeth grow?

They are located in a hard-to-reach place, at the very end of the dentition. There are many difficulties in treating them due to this arrangement. The wisdom tooth itself is no different from the others, except perhaps the time of eruption.

Wisdom tooth growing into cheek

What does the internal structure of the figure eight look like:

• tooth enamel;
• dentine;
• root canal;
• dental nerve or pulp.

Tooth diagram

External structure of a wisdom tooth:

• a dental crown, the surface of which is covered with enamel;
• root;
• neck of the tooth.

The canals and roots of wisdom teeth are slightly curved, which greatly complicates the treatment process. In total, 4 eighths of molars grow, but if 2 of them grow or none at all, this is also considered normal. A person’s mental abilities, like his health, do not depend on the number of wisdom teeth that have erupted.

Wisdom tooth growth

Doctors associate the painful appearance of figure eights with their inconvenient placement. Often, during their development, body temperature may rise or an inflammatory process may begin. But these are not all the symptoms.

The eruption of wisdom teeth can be accompanied by a wide variety of symptoms, but among them there are standard ones:

• enlarged lymph nodes;
• Strong headache;
• discomfort when chewing;
• insomnia;
• decreased appetite;
• constant feeling of fatigue;
• the appearance of pain of varying intensity at the end of the jaw;
• swelling and redness of the gums.

All of these symptoms occur during the eruption of the eighth molar, but you need to seek help from a doctor when the symptoms are very pronounced or the process itself lasts quite a long time. There may also be complications, the most common of which is inflammation of the gums - pericoronitis (this is a non-infectious inflammation).

Wisdom tooth removal

The growth of wisdom teeth occurs at a slow pace, but no unpleasant symptoms arise. As soon as a tooth appears above the gum level, it must be carefully cared for, regularly cleaning its surface from soft plaque. With improper care, caries can occur, which will lead to the destruction of a tooth that is not yet fully formed.

Dystopic wisdom tooth

In what cases is removal required?

There are certain factors, the presence of which indicates the need to remove extreme molars:

• development of osteomyelitis, pericoronitis or granuloma in the jaw area;
• the presence of an inflammatory process in the area of ​​phlegmon of the patient’s bone tissue. In this case, it is necessary not only to pull out the tooth, but also to carry out a course of treatment of the source of inflammation;
• inaccessibility does not allow curing the resulting pulpitis or caries;
• damage or displacement of dental tissue and adjacent teeth;
• tooth growth in the wrong direction.

Extracted wisdom teeth

On a note! The occurrence of severe pain should serve as a signal to take urgent measures, which begin with tooth extraction. This also applies to the appearance of an inflammatory process or suppuration.

In addition to the indications for wisdom tooth removal, there are also general contraindications. These include:

• presence of mental illness;
• pregnancy. In such cases, doctors rarely pull out teeth for expectant mothers, with the exception of special indications;
• development of acute infectious diseases (stomatitis, hepatitis, influenza, etc.);
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• severe inflammatory process in the gums. In this case, before removing the wisdom tooth, you must first eliminate the inflammation. Antiseptics or antibiotics are used for this. Only after the inflammation has subsided can the tooth be pulled out.

Gum inflammation

Features of wisdom tooth removal

To remove figure eights, doctors use local anesthesia. First, the dentist removes the periosteum, but before that, the mucous membrane. Only after removing all the “excess” can you start working on the wisdom tooth.

The process of wisdom tooth removal

On a note! The doctor can also remove the tooth in separate parts, but this usually happens only in particularly difficult cases.

The patient's cut mucous membrane is restored using surgical sutures. The doctor treats the resulting hole after tooth extraction with a special antiseptic and then packs it. A small blood clot formed in the socket indicates that the operation was carried out correctly. It serves to protect the wound in the patient’s mouth from various infections.

Finally, stitches are placed on the wound

Aftercare

Postoperative care after removal is necessary for a quick and complete recovery. Failure to maintain proper oral hygiene can result in inflammation or infection in the patient's mouth. Doctors call this process osteomyelitis. Statistics show that in approximately every fifth case, osteomyelitis develops after the removal of a wisdom tooth.

To avoid this unpleasant disease, additional requirements must be observed. Careful care is required for at least one week from the date of removal. To do this, you need to perform several basic procedures. It won't take much effort or time.

Step one Step two Step three Step four Step five Step six Step seven Possible complications Complications after wisdom tooth removal are very rare. As a rule, after surgery, the patient's socket may become inflamed due to infection. Swelling of the gums is also possible, but this only occurs when the small capillaries in it are damaged. As a result of poor blood clotting, severe bleeding may continue in the first few hours after removal. Complications after wisdom tooth removal Improperly performing the operation can damage the nerve located in the patient's jaw. As a result, the sensitivity of the lips or tongue may decrease, and the jaw may become numb. Such complications cannot be classified as dangerous to health, since they go away on their own after some time.

A snow-white smile, shining with beauty and health, is the dream of all Moscow residents. But people have four teeth that cause more trouble than others. According to legends, they bring us wisdom. They appear in each person at different ages. As you may have guessed, we will talk about wisdom teeth. This article will help you learn more about them.

A little theory

It is impossible to reliably answer the question of how many wisdom teeth a person has. The so-called eights in the course of evolution have lost their original purpose. Today they are classified as vestigial organs. They erupt at the age of 18-30 years, but everything is individual, and in some cases there may be deviations. How many wisdom teeth are there? Nature provides 4, but this does not happen for everyone. Some people only have 2 wisdom teeth, while others have none at all.

According to scientists, the reason for this is hereditary memory. If you had someone in your family who experienced inflammation of eights or a painful removal, then you may not have them. But no one has yet been able to prove this theory. Often the rudiments of eights simply do not develop, and then the teeth do not grow. True, it happens that they erupt much later than the expected age: at forty years old and even later.

Practical aspect

The number of wisdom teeth and the time of their appearance depends on a number of factors:

• genetic predisposition;
• the presence of rudiments;
• design features of the jaw, etc.

Therefore, both their presence and absence is absolutely normal. They cause the most discomfort during teething. At this time, the gums become inflamed and swollen, and the temperature may even rise. Warm water with salt or soda will help relieve painful sensations. Rinse your mouth several times a day and feel relief. In particularly severe cases, the tooth cannot erupt on its own and needs help. In this situation, the dentist makes a small incision in the gum, which speeds up the process and makes it less painful.

Due to their location, the outer teeth quickly deteriorate and are susceptible to caries. Then they must either be treated or removed. A specialist can help you make the right decision. Extraction may be necessary if the wisdom tooth is large or there is no room for it in the jaw. If left, it will put pressure on the entire row, causing deformations or distortions.

Dental health is an integral part of human life. However, there are teeth that cause trouble for almost all people. The lucky ones are those whom evolution has saved from such problems. We are talking about wisdom teeth.

How to find out about the imminent eruption of wisdom teeth? Should they be removed? How to relieve pain symptoms? Answers to these and other questions can be found in this article.

A wisdom tooth is the third molar in the dentition. People call it the eighth tooth.

Its structure is absolutely no different from other molars, but still has some features:

• Late eruption - wisdom teeth erupt from 18 to 25 years of age;
• It does not have the shape of a baby tooth, it erupts immediately as a permanent one;
• It creates difficulties when they appear: since all the other teeth have already taken their place in the dentition, the eights sometimes do not have enough space;
• Difficult to treat due to inaccessibility.

How many wisdom teeth does a person have?

If you divide the dentition into four quadrants, you can find out that the maximum number of wisdom teeth that can erupt is four. However, this does not mean that every person will have the maximum number of eights.

During evolution, wisdom teeth have lost their original meaning - chewing food. Therefore, only two teeth may erupt, while the rest remain rudimentary, or perhaps none will erupt. Recently, there has been a tendency towards the absence of some rudiments of the eighth teeth.

When do they grow?

The average age for wisdom teeth to erupt is from 18 to 25 years. It is believed that by this age a person gains life experience and wisdom, which is why the unusual name of teeth is associated. It happens that wisdom teeth erupt later than the established age, but if they have not appeared after 30 years, then you can hardly hope for their eruption.

In most cases, a person’s wisdom teeth do not erupt for the following reason. Eights are practically not involved in the main function of teeth - chewing food. They are a vestigial organ that does not have an important function.

Today, doctors see wisdom teeth as:

• Supports other teeth to avoid further loosening;
• Support elements for further prosthetics;
• Spare teeth for chewing if other molars fall out.

Some scientists believe that the evolutionary process of extinction will affect some other teeth. But for now, don’t forget about the eights. You need to be prepared for their appearance at any age.

Signs of the eruption of the eighth tooth can be varied.

They depend on the location of the tooth in the jaw, the person’s age, the presence of somatic diseases and other individual characteristics:

• Pains of various types, ranging from weak aching to strong shooting;
• Swelling of the gums and cheeks;
• Painful swallowing, radiating pain to the temporomandibular joint;
• Swelling of the “hood”, from under which the tubercle of the tooth is sometimes visible;
• Increased body temperature;
• Enlargement of the cervical and submandibular lymph nodes.

All symptoms of the eruption of the eighth tooth may gradually disappear, or they may increase, which will lead to the development of inflammation under the gum hood and the spread of the purulent process. Delayed initiation of treatment can lead to pericoronitis, phlegmon and even abscess of the maxillofacial area.

Painful sensations associated with the eruption of wisdom teeth persist in a person for a long time.

This is due to the late period of eruption and lack of space in the jaw:

• The elasticity of bone tissue is maintained, on average, up to 14 years. At this age, teething is not so noticeable. Over time, the bone structures become denser, and the figure eight has to “punch” its way out;
• Lack of space on the jaw causes wisdom teeth to rest against neighboring ones, causing unnecessary discomfort;
• Infection in the hood can increase the pain of teething;
• A carious process that has spread to an unerupted tooth can bring additional discomfort.

Wisdom tooth growing

What to do if your wisdom tooth hurts?

The appearance of a wisdom tooth is always accompanied by painful sensations. The main accompanying symptom may be inflammation of the gums above the figure eight.

Correct actions for inflammation of the hood:

• Visit a dental surgeon;
• Take an anti-inflammatory drug (Ketorol, Nise,);
• To relieve inflammation, rinse with soda solution.

• Heat the side of the inflammation, rinse the mouth with warm water;
• Keep a painkiller tablet on the inflamed gum to prevent the formation of an ulcer;
• Follow the advice of relatives who have encountered a similar situation. Each person is individual, and what helped a relative or friend does not mean that it will help the patient.

Do I need to remove wisdom teeth?

The issue of wisdom teeth removal is considered a dilemma for patients and doctors. Is it possible to keep wisdom teeth healthy and are they treated? Of course, only a dentist can decide whether to remove or save.

In practice, there are cases when a tooth does not need to be removed and can be treated:

• The tooth is positioned correctly in the oral cavity, in accordance with neighboring teeth;
• The eighth tooth has fully erupted;
• The carious cavity is located on a surface accessible to the doctor.

A wisdom tooth is removed when:

Removal procedure

Removing a wisdom tooth is quite difficult due to the inconvenient location. Many patients are concerned about the pain of the procedure. It should be noted that any operation is performed under local anesthesia, and the severity of pain depends on the individual pain threshold. Do not forget that the teeth of the lower jaw are more painful to remove due to the structure of the roots.

Wisdom teeth can be removed in a simple or complex way.

Easy way:

• Used when the eighth tooth has fully erupted;
• There is no need to make an incision in the gums or use a drill to drill out bone tissue;
• The first step is anesthesia. You should wait 5 minutes before the effect occurs;
• The tooth is removed with special forceps;
• If there is a large hole, suturing is performed.

Important! If a tooth was removed due to a purulent process, the hole cannot be sutured.

The hard way:

• Applies when the ;
• Before the operation begins, the patient is given anesthesia;
• An incision is made from the gum to the bone tissue, the flap is peeled off;
• Using a drill, a part of the bone is drilled out, which makes access to the tooth difficult;
• If the position is incorrect, the tooth is sawn into two or three parts and removed one by one using an elevator;
• If the tooth is in a normal position in the jaw, removal is carried out using forceps and an elevator.

Recently, a new method of removing wisdom teeth has been introduced into medical practice - using a piezoelectric tip.

The piezoelectric tip is considered a high-tech device and has significant advantages:

• Does not damage the vessels of the mucous membrane when cutting the gums;
• The removal operation is carried out with high precision;
• Minimizes the risk of complications during surgery in the form of bleeding, hematoma, pain;
• The time spent on surgery is reduced to a minimum;
• Ultrasonic waves have an antibacterial effect on oral tissue;
• Easy operation in hard-to-reach places;
• The risk of complications after surgery is minimal.

The use of a new method allows you to remove wisdom teeth at any age without pain or discomfort. Using an ultrasonic tip, it is possible to excise hard bone tissue, while the mucous membrane is absolutely not subject to damage.

Advantages of using the piezoelectric method:

• The piezoelectric device allows you to avoid soft tissue burns and overheating of neighboring teeth;
• The bleeding stops instantly;
• For blood clotting diseases, ultrasonic removal is the only possible method;
• The antibacterial effect of ultrasound helps to avoid an allergic reaction in people intolerant to antiseptic drugs;
• The short time spent on surgery allows you to remove several teeth in one visit.

Why are wisdom teeth dangerous?

The eruption of wisdom teeth can lead to serious complications:

• The tooth erupts at the wrong angle, as a result of which it puts pressure on neighboring teeth and causes crowding of the dentition and the spread of caries;
• If the eighth tooth does not erupt, inflammation of the hood begins - pericoronitis. Purulent exudate accumulates under the gum and spreads to surrounding tissues. The consequence of pericoronitis can be periostitis, osteomyelitis, trigeminal and facial neuralgia;
• When a tooth partially erupts, a pathological pocket is formed in the cervical area, in which putrefactive bacteria accumulate. An inflammatory process develops, spreading to periodontal tissue, causing various forms of periodontitis;
• At an advanced stage of the process, lymphadenitis, abscess and even sepsis may occur.

Such a list of serious complications should prompt the patient to visit the dentist and eliminate the discomfort associated with the eruption of wisdom teeth.

How to relieve pain at home?

Sometimes it is not possible to get an appointment at a dental clinic right away. However, pain causes quite unpleasant sensations and emotions in a person.

Before visiting a doctor, you can relieve pain at home:

• Soda solution is an excellent antiseptic for use at home. Dilute 2 tsp per glass of water. soda, rinse the mouth with the solution for 10-15 minutes;
• Lubricate the gum above the tooth with sea buckthorn oil;
• Chamomile and oak bark decoction will help relieve inflammation and reduce pain due to the astringent effect of oak. As an alternative to chamomile, you can use calendula infusion;
• Gargling with sage infusion can be carried out until the pain completely disappears. The crushed herb powder is poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and infused for about an hour. The infusion is cooled and filtered;
• Chicory root: Pour dry crushed root into a saucepan, pour a glass of boiling water and simmer for five minutes. After which, cool the broth and strain. Rinse 3-4 times a day;
• If you are not allergic to honey, it is recommended to make compresses with propolis. Propolis has an excellent antibacterial effect, reduces swelling of the gums and soothes the mucous membrane;
• Ice compress will reduce pain for a short time, however, you should not keep the ice on your cheek for more than 15 minutes to avoid hypothermia;
• Melissa infusion used for rinsing similarly to chicory;

Home remedies will help relieve pain, but not for long. If pain symptoms are severe, you should resort to medications.

Medical assistance at home

In severe cases, rinsing with herbal infusions will be ineffective.

Then you should resort to the help of medications:

Before you start taking any medication, you must read the instructions and study the contraindications. The best solution is to consult with your doctor.

It is not recommended to try to numb the tooth for a long time: Over time, the body stops accepting any drug. To alleviate your condition, you should visit a dentist and get recommendations for treatment.

Conclusion

To summarize, we can draw the following conclusions:

• Wisdom teeth do not always erupt;
• The location of the eighth tooth in the jaw can be correct or abnormal (dystopic);
• The eruption of a wisdom tooth is quite painful, accompanied by swelling of the gums, painful opening of the mouth, swelling of the so-called “hood”;
• At the first signs of teething, it is recommended to take a pain reliever and immediately consult a dentist;
• The decision to remove a wisdom tooth is made only by a doctor. If there are no indications, discomfort and the correct location of the tooth, extraction is not required;
• Tooth extraction is carried out using a simple method, a complex method (with dissection of the gums and drilling of the bone) and using a piezoelectric device;
• The eruption of wisdom teeth can lead to serious complications, so timely treatment is necessary;
• Any pain relief with the help of medications and herbal infusions is only a temporary measure of help at home. Adequate qualified care can only be provided in a dental clinic.

Wisdom tooth - the name evokes something of mysticism. But there is nothing mystical about them - these are just teeth that erupt much later than others, and not in childhood. Dentists call them third molars and eights. In fact, this is a rudiment inherited from our ancestors, whose jaws were noticeably wider.

There are many misconceptions associated with these teeth.

Myth 1. Wisdom teeth begin to erupt during adolescence.

As a rule, this is not the case: the eruption of wisdom teeth most often begins at 18–25 years of age. Why? The fact is that these teeth, unlike the others, are formed not during intrauterine development, but at 3–5 years. If you take your child to a pediatric dentist during this period, he will even be able to determine how many wisdom teeth he will have in the future.

At the same time, the formation of the coronal part of the eights occurs around the age of 12 (that is, when most children already have a change from a primary bite to a permanent one). However, the roots of wisdom teeth continue to form, sometimes even after eruption.

At the same time, 10–15% of people do not have eights at all. These lucky ones never experience any discomfort during teething and spend their entire lives with a set of 28 teeth. Moreover, different people may have different numbers of wisdom teeth erupting. That is why the norm is considered to be 28–32 teeth.

Myth 2. Any discomfort when wisdom teeth appear must be endured.

For almost all people, this process is accompanied by discomfort, and rarely can anyone boast that they have not experienced any. This is due to the fact that eights do not have milk “predecessors”.

Often there is difficulty in the eruption of wisdom teeth due to various pathologies, and in this case you need to consult a doctor. But how can an ordinary person distinguish between normal and difficult teething? After all, most often, any appearance of a figure eight is accompanied by an increase in temperature by 1–2 degrees, pain in the jaw and when swallowing, inflammation of the gums and even submandibular lymph nodes.

If you experience very acute pain in the gums and jaw, discharge of blood and pus from the gums, swelling of the cheek, and the lips and tongue are injured, then you do not need to endure this - you should immediately consult a doctor. Such symptoms indicate pathological eruption of the figure eight.

In any case, only a dentist can determine whether wisdom tooth eruption is normal or pathological in your case. The sooner he identifies the problem, the easier it will be to solve it.

Myth 3. Wisdom teeth should always be removed, preferably as soon as they appear.

Third molars or eights may be no different from ordinary teeth, not interfere with chewing food, and generally not manifest themselves in any way. But alas, pathologies of wisdom teeth are quite common, which is why certain measures have to be taken. If the tooth erupts normally, does not put pressure on or displace neighboring teeth, and does not interfere with chewing food, then it can be used in the same way as all other teeth.

Still, there are pathologies in which the removal of wisdom teeth is necessary. There are three types in total.

Dystopia

Incorrect position relative to the entire dentition. Since such figure eights can cause harm to other teeth, the doctor almost always recommends removing them. They can protrude forward or backward relative to the rest of the teeth, or even rotate around their axis.

Retention

Teeth hidden in the soft or bone tissues of the jaw. Retention can be complete or partial, that is, the tooth may not fully erupt or remain in a hidden position and also deviate back or forward. This is dangerous because during teething, pericoronoritis may develop - inflammation of the gums due to the accumulation of bacteria.

Mixed pathology

This is a combination of dystopia and retention. The tooth can be placed at an angle to the other teeth, lie horizontally, or even turn upside down - its crown will be at the bottom and the root will be at the top. These are the most complex cases that can provoke various types of purulent inflammatory processes: abscesses, osteomyelitis and phlegmon.

In all these cases, the wisdom tooth will have to be removed.

Myth 4. Removing wisdom teeth is always long, painful and scary

The doctor chooses the method of tooth extraction depending on the problem you came to him with. At the same time, in modern dentistry they will always provide pain relief and try to minimize both pain and your discomfort.

Removing a figure eight does not always require complex manipulations: if the surgeon is not dealing with a dystopic, impacted tooth or a complex pathology, then forceps will be enough for him. In this case, you will be given an injection of painkiller, and then the doctor will remove the wisdom tooth. This lasts from one to several minutes.

After removal, you should not eat for two hours, do not eat hot foods during the day and do not touch the hole with your tongue. You need to chew on the opposite side, and rinse your mouth extremely carefully. Often, after the removal of wisdom teeth, swelling increases and occurs, and therefore the doctor prescribes drug therapy. Take the medications prescribed, follow the care recommendations, and then the unpleasant symptoms will go away in 5–7 days.

But if your figure eight is dystopic, retinal, and so on, then it will take much more effort to get rid of it. First, an X-ray is taken and the mouth is sanitized. Before removing an impacted tooth, vitamins and sedatives may be prescribed.

Then, after anesthesia, the doctor makes an incision and moves aside the soft tissue (in modern dentistry this is done using a laser), then prepares the bone with a drill to gain access to the tooth, and removes it from the gum either entirely or in pieces. Then he returns the gum flap to its place, applies stitches and an anti-inflammatory bandage.

Recovery takes about two weeks. The doctor prescribes vitamins, anti-inflammatory and painkillers to reduce swelling, temperature and pain. You also need to follow simple rules:

• Do not remove the bandage for half an hour;
• do not eat for three hours after surgery;
• apply cold compresses for 1–2 days;
• refuse hard, spicy and hot foods during the healing period;
• refuse physical activity, visiting the pool and sauna;
• Chew food on the other side of the mouth.

Myth 5. Wisdom teeth are never treated - they are immediately removed

Eights do not always need to be deleted immediately. They are quite treatable, and if the tooth is positioned normally, does not interfere with you in any way or harm neighboring teeth, then it can be saved. Although it is important to understand: such teeth are more susceptible because they are located deep in the jaw and it is much more difficult to clean them efficiently than other teeth. Sometimes the brush simply cannot fit into a narrow space. Also, if part of the tooth remains under the gum, then a gum hood is formed, where food particles fall, which increases tooth destruction.

Another feature of wisdom teeth is that very often caries on them does not make itself felt for quite a long time, and if you do not go to the doctor for a preventive examination every six months, you may well miss the onset of the disease and detect it only when it has already turned into a deep one. caries or pulpitis.

However, if the tooth erupts without pathologies and caries is detected at an early stage, then the dentist may well be able to save the figure eight. This is also done if the wisdom tooth will be used for prosthetics.

There may be several reasons for removing a wisdom tooth affected by caries:

• the tooth is severely damaged and is located so far and inconveniently that it is very difficult to carry out high-quality treatment;
• high risk of secondary caries;
• eights are distinguished by highly curved canals, which makes endodontic treatment extremely difficult;
• the absence of an antagonist tooth, that is, a tooth that is located above the one affected by caries. If there is no antagonist tooth, the chewing load will be unevenly distributed.

conclusions

Let's summarize briefly.

• Although wisdom teeth are actually vestigial, they can easily erupt without problems. However, they will not be any different from other teeth.
• Their eruption is very often accompanied by unpleasant sensations, and if the pain is too severe, the temperature rises, and blood and pus are discharged, then it is better to consult a doctor.
• Figure eights need to be removed in case of pathological eruption: dystopic, impacted, or in the presence of mixed pathology.
• Depending on the complexity of the case, the dental surgeon will choose the appropriate method for removing the wisdom tooth. After which you should follow the doctor’s recommendations and take the medications prescribed by him - then the rehabilitation period will pass quickly and less unpleasantly.
• But it is not always necessary to remove wisdom teeth: if they do not interfere with anything and have erupted normally, then they can be treated. Although eights are more susceptible to caries and it often appears again on them.