Indications for wisdom tooth extraction
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, usually erupt between the ages of 18 and 25. However, due to their relatively backward position and limited space, wisdom teeth often cause a series of oral health problems. Therefore, the removal of wisdom teeth has become one of the common dental surgeries. This article will discuss the indications, surgical indications and related precautions for wisdom tooth extraction.
1. Definition and Common Problems of Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the third molars in the human mouth, located at the back of the upper and lower teeth on each side. With the evolution of humans, the degeneration of the jaw has led to a relatively narrow growth position for wisdom teeth, which is also the root cause of problems with wisdom teeth. During the growth of wisdom teeth, if there is difficulty in eruption, it may cause inflammation of the surrounding soft tissues, pain, and even more serious complications. To avoid these problems, removing wisdom teeth has become a common treatment method.
2. Indications for wisdom tooth extraction
The indications for wisdom tooth extraction mainly include the following categories:
Blocked wisdom tooth eruption (impacted wisdom tooth)
When wisdom teeth erupt, due to lack of sufficient space, they may be partially or completely impacted, that is, the wisdom teeth cannot pass through the gums normally. In this case, the wisdom teeth may grow at an angle and even cause displacement or damage to adjacent teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth often cause symptoms such as pain, swelling, and inflammation. In severe cases, they may lead to infection and abscesses. Therefore, patients with impacted wisdom teeth often need to have their symptoms removed to relieve symptoms.
Inflammation of the tissues surrounding wisdom teeth (pericoronitis)
Wisdom teeth are difficult to clean due to their relatively backward location. They are prone to accumulate food debris and bacteria, leading to local infection and inflammation of the soft tissue around the wisdom teeth. The clinical manifestations are pain, swelling, bad breath, etc. This condition is called pericoronitis of wisdom teeth. If the inflammation recurs, it may cause more serious oral infection and even affect the health of the whole body. Therefore, wisdom teeth need to be removed in time.
Wisdom teeth cause adjacent tooth lesions
Some wisdom teeth may form gaps between the front teeth due to incomplete eruption, which becomes a breeding ground for bacteria accumulation and causes caries or periodontal disease in the adjacent teeth. When wisdom teeth cause lesions in the adjacent teeth, removing them can effectively prevent the spread of lesions.
Abnormal position of wisdom teeth
Some wisdom teeth may grow obliquely or horizontally due to abnormal positions, or even interfere with adjacent teeth, causing tooth misalignment and malocclusion. Long-term malocclusion may cause symptoms such as tooth wear and dental joint problems. Removing abnormally positioned wisdom teeth can avoid these adverse consequences.
Interaction of wisdom teeth with other teeth
When the eruption or position of wisdom teeth affects the growth or arrangement of other teeth, such as when there is excessive space between the upper and lower teeth, it may cause misalignment of teeth and affect oral health. Removing wisdom teeth can help restore normal tooth arrangement.
The patient has systemic illness that leads to poor oral hygiene
Patients with systemic diseases such as high blood sugar, immune system diseases, heart disease, etc. may have poor oral hygiene, which makes wisdom teeth more susceptible to infection and other complications. For such patients, if problems occur with wisdom teeth, removing them can effectively avoid the risk of infection.
3. Surgical indications for wisdom tooth removal
Wisdom teeth extraction is usually performed when clinical symptoms are obvious. The following are common surgical indications:
Recurring pain or infection in wisdom teeth
If wisdom teeth repeatedly cause symptoms such as pain, swelling, fever, etc. during the eruption process and are not controlled by medication, extraction is usually recommended, especially when there is chronic inflammation around the wisdom teeth. Removing wisdom teeth can help relieve symptoms and avoid further infection.
Wisdom teeth causing damage to adjacent teeth
When wisdom teeth erupt, if they cause serious damage to the front teeth or adjacent teeth (such as caries or displacement), you need to consider removing the wisdom teeth. By removing the wisdom teeth, you can effectively avoid damage to adjacent teeth and ensure oral health.
Abnormal position of wisdom teeth leads to oral dysfunction
When wisdom teeth are misplaced or impacted, resulting in malocclusion, they may affect oral functions (such as chewing, pronunciation, etc.). In this case, removing the wisdom teeth can restore normal bite function and oral health.
Wisdom teeth cause systemic health problems
If wisdom tooth infection or inflammation is not controlled in time, it may lead to systemic health problems such as sepsis. At this time, removing wisdom teeth is an effective way to prevent the spread of complications.
4. Precautions for removing wisdom teeth
Preoperative examination and evaluation
When deciding whether to remove wisdom teeth, the dentist will usually conduct a detailed examination, including X-rays, to understand the growth direction and position of the wisdom teeth and their relationship to surrounding tissues. Based on the examination results, the doctor will assess whether the conditions for removal are met.
Anesthesia method
Wisdom tooth extraction usually requires local anesthesia to relieve the patient's pain. For deep or complex wisdom teeth, general anesthesia or sedation may be required to ensure the smooth progress of the operation.
Postoperative Care
After wisdom teeth are removed, patients need to follow the doctor's postoperative care recommendations to avoid infection, swelling or bleeding in the surgical area. Common postoperative care measures include keeping the mouth clean, avoiding hot food and strenuous exercise, etc.
Postoperative complications
Although wisdom tooth removal is generally a safe surgery, some complications may still occur, such as postoperative infection, bleeding, or nerve damage. Therefore, patients need to pay close attention to postoperative symptoms such as persistent severe pain, fever or swelling, and seek medical attention promptly.
V. Conclusion
Although wisdom tooth extraction is a common oral surgery, whether to perform the extraction needs to be evaluated based on the patient's specific situation. Common indications for extraction include impacted wisdom teeth, pericoronitis, adjacent tooth lesions, abnormal position, etc. The surgical process requires detailed preoperative examination and evaluation to ensure patient safety. In addition, postoperative care is crucial for postoperative recovery. Only when wisdom teeth are extracted under appropriate circumstances can related complications be effectively avoided and oral health be guaranteed.