Should I remove wisdom teeth?
Dear Dentist, my last molars were so painful when erupting, moreover at 29 years, but I was advised to have them removed as soon as possible as they may cause tooth decay. Can I go ahead and have them removed?
Jimmy, Ntinda
Dear Jimmy, many people have had issues with their last molars with the most pressing problem being pain at the time of eruption.
This is usually so because space is not always enough to accommodate the tooth, or if it is not developing in the normal way.
These last molars are technically known as wisdom teeth. They are four in number with each quadrant of the jaw having one. They are not different from other teeth only that they take long to erupt.
Usually, they erupt between the ages of 17 to 25. In some few cases, they may erupt even at 30 years.
However, many people may not realise that they are missing their third molars. This happens when there was no full eruption. This means that the tooth is fully covered by the gum and it cannot be seen by the naked eye, a dental x-ray can easily reveal this.
There a number of reasons why we may recommend it to be removed even when it is not that much decayed.
It may be impacted. An impacted tooth is one that does not erupt in a straight line just like other teeth. It can easily cause an infection, decay of adjacent teeth or gum disease.
There is a chance that poorly aligned wisdom teeth will damage the adjacent teeth. This is why many dentists recommend removal of impacted wisdom teeth.
A wisdom tooth may only partially erupt and when this happens, food gets caught in the gum and may cause an infection, swelling and pain.
You should know that it is always difficult for most, if not all of us, to fully clean our wisdom teeth.
The key to preserving them is maintaining good oral health and seeking professional cleaning twice a year.
Many people have impacted wisdom teeth and this has been the major cause of their removal with the aim of preventing potential problems.
It is, therefore, better for you to have your wisdom tooth removed after a recommendation from a dental professional and this must be done by an experienced dentist.
The recommendation is usually made if the tooth is impacted.
However, if the tooth is to be removed, a dental x-ray will be useful to study the anatomy of the tooth. This will help you avoid spending a lot of time in the dental surgery room and also reduce the trauma that may occur in the process of removing it.
The writer is a dentist
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