There’s a good chance that you or someone you know has had to remove one or all of their wisdom teeth. If so, you may be familiar with how often wisdom teeth are removed and the discomfort that they can cause if left untreated. However, you may also have wondered; why do we grow pairs of teeth that, quite often, must be removed due to complications? Your Fresno dentists, Drs. Alex and Claudia Denes, explore the phenomenon of wisdom teeth, why we grow this last set of molars, and how they often cause so much trouble.
Why Do We Grow Wisdom Teeth?
Experts believe that our wisdom teeth, also known as the third molars, are a remnant of times past, when our ancestors had to subsist on a much rougher diet of raw plants, roots, nuts, and other harsh victuals. The extra molars likely provided additional biting power and allowed them to chew their coarse meals without excessively wearing down their teeth. As our diet grew softer, our need for these molars diminished and our jaws grew smaller. Unfortunately, we still tend to grow wisdom teeth (so named because they appear between the ages of 17-25, commonly called the “age of wisdom”), though some people may never grow these last molars.
Fighting for Space
In most cases, by the time wisdom teeth grown, there is little room left along your dental ridges to accommodate them. Not every wisdom tooth causes problems; in fact, some people comfortably grow all four wisdom teeth and never experience trouble with them. When trouble does arise, though, it’s typically because the molars do not have ample room to erupt properly. The crowded space can lead to a crooked tooth growing against those already present, pushing them out of alignment and possibly damaging a number of teeth in the process. Some wisdom teeth may never erupt, some may only partially erupt, but every impacted wisdom tooth must be removed to stop the crowding and preserve your oral health.
Speak with Your Fresno Dentists bout Your Wisdom Teeth
Because of the frequency with which wisdom teeth lead to discomfort, many people opt to remove theirs preemptively, before they have a chance to damage surrounding teeth. Since your mouth will function normally (even better, without the obstructions), Dr. Denes may recommend removing yours as soon as you notice them growing. To learn more about wisdom tooth removal, schedule a consultation with your Fresno cosmetic dentists by calling Fresno Dental Studio at (559) 297-1800. Located in the 93720 area, we proudly serve patients from Fresno, Clovis, Mendota, Orange Cove, Reedley, Selma, and the surrounding areas.