Possible Wisdom Teeth Complications

The structure of our jaws, our face, and our brains in the last 10,000 years has evolved to where now 35% of our fellow Americans are entering adulthood without wisdom teeth. The jaw has become smaller through the centuries to allow for the growth of the brain. With those of us that have our wisdom teeth another 85% have them extracted. This means as either impacted teeth or teeth that have erupted. We’ll identify the complications with the evolution of the jaw and the wisdom teeth, the complications in leaving the wisdom teeth and the possible complications in remove wisdom teeth.

The Evolution of the Wisdom Tooth

10,000 years ago, the jaw was larger and accommodated the third set of molars necessary for the diet of the times. As the diet became softer and the brain grew in size the demand for the 32 teeth was diminished. The majority of the adult population today has jaw bones that comfortably accommodate 28 teeth. A large percentage of the population have wisdom teeth today that don’t erupt which is supposed to happen between the ages of 17 and 25. These impacted wisdom teeth can crowd the remaining teeth resulting in cysts, infections and unnecessary pain.

The Complications in Leaving the Wisdom Teeth Intact

Consistent x-rays can show the positioning of the wisdom teeth, whether they are impacted or have erupted. In the scenario of the wisdom teeth having erupted the decision must be made whether there is enough room in your arch to accommodate the wisdom teeth. Is it healthy to keep them? If the wisdom teeth are impacted x-rays again will show their movement and interaction with the neighboring molars. Usually it is suggested that the impacted teeth be removed due to infection, crowding, causing crooked teeth and simply not adequate room in the jaw. This decision is easier the younger the patient. As the patient ages the roots of the wisdom tooth grows changing the extraction implications.

The Complications with the Removal of the Wisdom Teeth

There are some complications with wisdom teeth extraction. One out of three patients might experience one of the following minor complications with the removal of a wisdom tooth. First, you could experience a dry socket. After the tooth is removed a blood clot must form over the extraction site. If the clot is dislodged it is called a dry socket. The extraction site will need to be cleaned, covered and allowed to be healed. Pain and swelling are the second complication. Both are somewhat relative between men and women and controlled with a soft diet, avoiding strenuous activity and some over the counter medication. The third complication is the limited opening of the mouth after wisdom teeth extraction. Happening more so with impacted wisdom teeth removal, this can be corrected with heat therapy, pain medications and muscle relaxants. A fourth complication might be excessive bleeding from the extraction. In the event this happens you will be advised to avoid smoking, rinsing of your mouth and to avoid strenuous activity for one day. Finally, you might experience lip numbness. This might be the result of nerve damage during the extraction, but this is a very rare occurrence with the number of wisdom teeth extracted annually.

More information on Wisdom Teeth & Extraction : Impacted Wisdom Teeth