In your early adult years, probably between the ages of 17 and 25, you may have experienced a final stage of tooth eruption in the back corners of your mouth. These teeth are known as wisdom teeth, or third molars, and were more useful in the early days of humans when we ate a primitive diet that required more teeth. The name “wisdom teeth” comes from the idea that by the time these teeth erupt, you should be much wiser than when your other adult teeth came in; and unfortunately, many people must have them extracted or risk serious dental problems.

Why Do They Need To Be Extracted?

Over several thousands of years, humans have changed to adapt to different environments and food sources, which has left us with a few vestigial structures. Our jaws have slowly become smaller, because we no longer hunt and gather our food, and most things are easy to eat. For this reason, most people do not have enough room in their mouths to allow the third molar to properly erupt. They often develop at an odd angle, become impacted, and can cause severe damage to your other healthy molars. Many dentists recommend extracting wisdom teeth in the teenage years, because healing time is typically much faster.

How Will They Remove Them?

If your third molars have already erupted, and your dentist advises having them removed, you will receive a local anesthetic to numb the area, and they will be extracted just like any other tooth. In many cases, wisdom teeth will emerge at a bad angle, causing impaction, which usually requires surgical extraction. For this process, you will receive a numbing agent as well as a type of sedative to calm your nerves. Some people will go under general anesthesia if they need all four teeth removed, and awaken with no memory of the procedure.

ABOUT YOUR CONROE DENTIST:

The Dental Centre of Conroe, John M Richards DDS delivers distinctive cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry for residents of Conroe, Houston, The Woodlands, Willis, Huntsville, and the neighboring communities. For more information about our services, or to schedule an appointment, contact us by calling (936) 441-4600.