Problems with wisdom teeth often appear because:
- They don’t erupt at all and remain completely buried in the bone
- They erupt partially and angular
- They crowd nearby teeth
- They cause resorption of adjacent tooth root
To be sure and to rule out any concerns, have your wisdom teeth checked by a dentist. It is likely that they will cause pain and other problems in the near future. Also, now might be a good time to have your general oral health checked (and undergo professional dental cleaning).
Wisdom teeth might indicate to be removed if:
- Causing pain or discomfort
- Causing infection or swelling
- Become cystic
- Pushing other teeth together causing crowding of teeth
- positioned with angles in the arch which then cause tooth decay later on
Why do we have wisdom teeth?
It seems wisdom teeth are only causing problems. But why do we have them in the first place?
It could be the result of biological evolution. The rough diet of our human ancestors might have introduced the necessity for the third molars (teeth loss might be common and they needed some spare). In other words, the third molars or wisdom teeth might be a remnant (not totally useful today) of our evolutionary history. It’s still a theory but it’s been the most widely accepted explanation.
Do you have wisdom tooth infection?
You must visit the dentist if you experience any pain in your teeth, gums, or jaw, regardless of the reason for having wisdom teeth and their problems. In addition to the full, partial or failure of the wisdom teeth to emerge, there might be another cause of the pain or infection. If you want to prevent your problem from getting worse and requiring more expensive treatments, it’s important to visit the dentist.