As we graduate into adulthood, we go through a variety of life experiences that can shape our futures. One of those experiences unfortunately, may be wisdom teeth pain and the surgical procedure of removing your wisdom teeth at the dentist.
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are late-developing molars that typically appear between the ages of 17-25.
I’ve had this conversation with numerous patients throughout my career asking “why do we even have wisdom teeth if they can cause issues and need to be removed anyway?”
Well interestingly, wisdom teeth have a unique and intriguing history. You may wonder why they are called “wisdom” teeth and a common joke is that they erupt at the age when you’re supposed to be more wise. The name originates from ancient Greek civilisation who called these molars “odontias sophias”, which translates to “teeth of wisdom”, because of the very reason we joke about, that they appear at a time in life where we are supposed to be more mature and wiser. This belief is similar in traditional Chinese medicine, which marked the emergence of wisdom teeth as a critical transition phase in life and in Native American folklore, where they were regarded as a symbol of personal growth and spiritual development.
The science behind wisdom teeth is that our ancestors required these extra molars to help us chew a more coarse, tough and fibrous diet. However, today humans are now accustomed towards a softer diet, therefore our jaws are smaller which means there is less space for our wisdom teeth.
But not everyone has wisdom teeth. If you do have them and there is not enough space in the jaw meaning they are impacted or partially erupted, this can cause pain, swelling, infection and even pressure on adjacent teeth causing crowding.
As a dentist, it is important that for my young adult patients we determine if you
A. Have wisdom teeth?
and
B. Have space for them?
Because it is my role to carefully evaluate each patient’s unique situation, consider the size of their jaw, the angle of the teeth, the presence of symptoms and potential future complications, to determine if these wisdom teeth need to be removed or not.
If you have wisdom teeth that may cause issues, it is always important to have a plan, as pain always happens at the worst time. In addition, if the procedure is more complex and has high risks, it is always better to remove them when you’re younger, for better recovery and healing.
You may know many people who tell their horror wisdom teeth stories, but it reminds us of the importance of regular dental check ups and discussing any of your worries with an oral health care professional so you don’t have your own horror story to tell.