Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt into the mouth. The age of eruption varies quite a bit. Some children as young as 12 may experience wisdom teeth breaking through the gum while others may not see their wisdom teeth even after 92.
Wisdom Teeth Can Erupt Later In Life
Scientists have yet to be able to explain why this happens, but a third molar can arrive years or even decades after the typical time frame. Many dentists and oral surgeons have had patients in their 50's, or even older whose third molars are just beginning to erupt.
Wisdom teeth can come anytime between the ages of 17 and 25 and even well into your late 20s. You should+n't expect to see your wisdom teeth come past the age of 30, as this is highly uncommon. Some people experience issues with their wisdom teeth when they come in and need an extraction.
Also, when a wisdom-teeth patient is older, there is a higher risk of nerve damage due to the proximity of the roots to the nerve that controls the feeling on the lower lip. The bones in an older person are likely to be harder than those of a younger person, further complicating the procedure.
At the end of the day, tooth extractions can be a safe and effective solution for elderly patients in certain circumstances. However, careful consideration must be taken into account as due to their age and overall health, they are more prone to complications than younger patients.
However, in some cases, a dentist might deem a wisdom tooth removal as unnecessary. Years or decades later, your wisdom tooth might begin to cause problems again. Fortunately, you don't need to worry! If your wisdom teeth become symptomatic, it's never too late for an extraction.
Increased Awareness of Risks: Wisdom teeth removal is a surgical procedure, and as with any surgery, risks are involved. In rare cases, these risks can include bleeding, infection, nerve damage, and even death.
If you're particularly anxious about the procedure, your dentist or surgeon may give you a sedative to help you relax. This will usually be an injection into your arm. General anaesthetic is rarely needed for wisdom tooth removal. It's only occasionally used when the procedure is carried out in hospital.
Pain is usually the first sign that your wisdom teeth are causing problems and will need to be extracted. The pain is typically a dull, aching pain in the jaw.
Most people have little to no pain after surgery. You'll likely have swelling and mild discomfort for 3 or so days.
Growing Pains: If your wisdom teeth are hurting, it could simply be them growing in. When they break through the gums it can cause pain, slight swelling and soreness. Cavity: Due to lack of space, wisdom teeth often grow in very close to neighboring teeth.
#1: Irritation in the Gums – You may feel slight irritation and notice swelling in the gums in the area behind the second molars. #2: Aches and Pains – Wisdom teeth growth often causes a dull ache near the back of the jaw that for some people can turn into frequent, more pronounced pain.
An impacted tooth can be painless and you may not even realise that it is there, however when it tries to erupt, the overlying gum may swell and cause pain, which may be felt in nearby teeth or the area on that side. This pain may occur for several days and then disappear for weeks or months before returning.
This can cause pain, numbness, tingling and loss of feeling in teeth, gums, cheeks, lips, chin, tongue and around the upper and lower jaw. If the lingual nerve is damaged, there is a risk of altered taste sensation. Speech may be affected in some cases. If a nerve is injured, it will generally heal.
Wisdom teeth can cause pain in the jaw or gums as they emerge. They can also increase the risk of infections by enabling bacteria to enter the gums, which can cause gum pain and swelling or stiffness in the jaw.
The only way to really know if a wisdom tooth that is partially through the gum is impacted is to see a dentist or an oral surgeon for an X-ray. Wisdom teeth often can't grow in normally. When they are impacted, it means the teeth either become stuck under the gum or are only able to partially break through the gum.
Most wisdom tooth removal surgeries last about 40-90 minutes. Even if you're having all four of your wisdom teeth removed at once, the procedure typically takes an hour. If your wisdom teeth are in a difficult position or there are unexpected difficulties, the surgery may take a bit longer.
Wisdom tooth surgery takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the number of teeth being removed and the difficulty of the extraction. It is generally recommended that you take the day off work or school to recover from the surgery.
Wisdom teeth removal recovery time takes one to two weeks on average. But most people can resume school, work and other routines in about three to five days. Your surgeon will give you detailed postoperative instructions to help keep you comfortable while you heal.
Jaw Cyst Formation (Odontogenic Keratocysts)
If your wisdom teeth are left untreated, it can cause jaw pain and even deterioration of the jaw bone. Ignoring your wisdom teeth can also lead to the formation of cysts in the jaw, known as odontogenic keratocysts.
If an impacted tooth is left too long without treatment, the pressure and infection can cause a cyst. This is an abnormal sac of tissue that's full of fluid. As it grows, the cyst puts even more pressure on the surrounding bone tissue and teeth.
Wisdom teeth are usually only removed if they cause problems, or are likely to in the future. There are no scientifically proven health benefits of pulling wisdom teeth that don't cause any problems. What's more, removing wisdom teeth is usually unpleasant and may cause side effects.
Let's be clear — you can't just ignore this pain and hope it goes away. It won't. It only gets worse and causes other problems. For one, you may have difficulty maintaining your normal brushing and cleaning routine, which can lead to tooth decay, infection, and gum disease.