Well they are not actually wisdom teeth but third molars.  Why do we have third molars? Evolutionarily they were there to give us an additional tooth at 15 years of age to aid in chewing due to the wear and tear on our other teeth.  Back then the food supply was a lot grittier containing dirt, sand and rocks.  After all, it was the caveman age.

Today our food is much less coarse and our teeth generally last longer.  The problem is for many individuals there is not enough room in their mouth for the third molars to come in.  This could be caused by genetics like dad is six feet tall and mom is four feet.  The combo can produce big teeth in a small jaw or vice versa.

Back in the day dentists would tell patients to keep their wisdom teeth because later in life they might be needed to support dental restorations.  Today with the advent of dental implants this is not necessary.

Third molars generally cause problems.  They are so far back in your mouth it is hard to keep them clean which can lead to decay or gum disease. Sometimes they only partially come in leading to more problems where an infection can develop between the partially exposed tooth and your jaw.

If an individual is on blood thinners and needs to have the wisdom tooth removed their cardiologist will generally refuse to take them off their medication. The extraction could cause real problems as the area will not stop bleeding after the procedure.

The morale here is that wisdom teeth in the vast majority of cases should be removed when you are around 16 years of age.   At this point your skeleton is still forming and not fully hardened.  Also the wisdom teeth have not developed legs or roots and are therefore smaller in size.

If the extractions are difficult it is easier to take a few days off when you are still in high school.  Leaving the wisdom teeth in can cause major problems if as they grow they decide to reside next to your mandibular nerve in your lower jaw or go into your upper sinus.

If you feel a little pressure in the back of your mouth or your bite suddenly appears to be off, or there is a rotten smell in the back of your mouth come on in and we’ll tell you if your pesky wisdom teeth are about to cause you problems.

Here at the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit in Yorkville on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the 10028 zip code we are always happy to meet with new patients and inform you what is going on in your mouth.   Give us a call today at 212 517 9000. You’ll be glad you did.