Molars are the permanent grinding teeth in our teeth. Together with the other molars, the back molars, they grind our food. They have particularly large bumps and dimples, and the root of their teeth extends deep into the jaw. While the first two molars on each side in the upper and lower dentition, like the other teeth, find their way up after the milk teeth, the wisdom tooth, also known as the third molar, initially remains hidden in the jaw. However, on average only every second person is equipped with them. Impacted third molars are common. This means the tooth remains locked in the jaw and does not break through.
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What are the causes for the retention of wisdom teeth?
In dentistry, there are a number of known causes of non-erupting molars. This can be due to the following factors:
- Simple lack of space in the row of teeth
- The tooth germ is not in the ideal position. In the case of a tooth germ, the tooth crown is present, but the tooth roots are not yet formed.
- Injuries or fractures of the jawbone (including previous ones)
- A deciduous tooth predecessor (premolar) at this point has left its tooth roots
- Malformations of the spine or collarbones
Where does the name wisdom tooth come from?
While the first molar emerges behind the last deciduous tooth at around the age of 6 years, the second molar erupts at around the age of 12 years. Since the third molar, i.e. the wisdom tooth, does not appear until adulthood, around 18 to 25 years of age, it is also associated with wisdom. The vernacular speaks of growth teeth, since there were no milk teeth in their position. Very few people even have a fourth molar, which rarely erupts. There is no fixed rule for the number of root canals. Wisdom teeth can vary greatly from person to person, both in their shape and in the number of root canals. If the dentist decides to surgically remove one or all molars,
How do I care for wisdom teeth?
As different as the respective task of the teeth in the human dentition is, the dental care and treatment required is as individual. The molars differ significantly in shape and function from the other teeth. They are the largest human teeth and should also be treated with dental floss or an interdental brush every day after you have actually brushed your teeth. Due to their surface structure with large humps, when brushing your teeth you have to make sure that the surface of the wisdom teeth is thoroughly cleaned. When using dental floss, be gentle because the area between the teeth is sensitive and small injuries can easily occur. You can find different sized dental brushes on the market. The more space the interdental brush can take up, the more leftovers you can remove from the gaps. This is particularly important on the large outer surfaces of the molars, because the rotting of food is one of the main causes of unpleasant bad breath. Due to their main task, the grinding of our food, a lot of plaque sticks to them. In addition, all molars come into contact with the decomposed chyme for a particularly long time on average. You can only keep the risk of tooth decay and tartar as low as possible if you regularly and thoroughly remove plaque from the chewing ridges and the spaces between them. You can also use a soft dental brush to clean the necks of the teeth and free them from invading bacteria.
What complications can wisdom teeth cause?
Molars can take up space when penetrating other teeth. On the one hand, this causes complications with the existing dentition and, on the other hand, it often leads to crooked breakthrough. The grinding tooth can also hit the nerve of an existing tooth. Above all, however, it is caries that tends to gnaw at the back molars. The areas that are difficult to access are often not cleaned sufficiently, and so caries is one of the most common complications of wisdom teeth that have grown out. Here the dentist has to go and drill out the affected area, free it from bacteria and seal it with a filling compound. If the person concerned decides to surgically remove one or more wisdom teeth,
Conceivable risks or complications can be:
- wound infection and inflammation
- bleeding
- pains
- swelling
- Rarely temporary nerve injuries
Since the roots of regular teeth are usually spaced apart, wisdom teeth can damage neighboring teeth. The early removal of the molars, which we owe to our ancestors and their rich raw diet, makes sense in many cases. Based on the shape and location, the dentist can determine in advance how high the risk is that problems will arise later. The dental examination should be carried out as early as possible, preferably in the teenage years. Until the age of 25, the roots of the teeth are still developing and the risk of complications is low.
