Will I Need Braces After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
When you have braces, they are used to straighten crooked teeth, align bites or malocclusions, and create space so that permanent teeth can come in properly.
The last set of teeth to erupt are the wisdom teeth. They don’t typically fit in with the rest of your teeth, causing many patients to have them removed.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
If a tooth is partially or fully impacted, it can trap food and bacteria in a flap of extra gum tissue that resides next to it. This can result in an inflammatory gum condition called pericoronitis, which can lead to pain, infection and bone loss.
This is why it’s important to have a dentist look at your mouth and take an x-ray as soon as you notice any signs or symptoms of an impacted tooth. This will give your dentist a better idea of how to best treat the problem.
Partially erupted wisdom teeth may be at a higher risk of dental decay (caries) than other teeth because they’re harder to clean and because food particles can easily get trapped in between them and the gums. Gum disease can also be more serious in a partially erupted wisdom tooth since it’s harder to keep clean and because impacted wisdom teeth are more difficult to reach with regular brushing. Cysts can also develop in a partially erupted wisdom teeth, which can cause damage to the jawbone and teeth. Rarely, a noncancerous tumor may form in an impacted wisdom tooth and require surgery to remove the bone and tissue surrounding it.
Impacted Third Molars
Impacted third molars occur due to a failure of proper eruption of the tooth (wisdom tooth). They can be fully or partially impacted, and their impaction may be against the adjacent teeth, alveolar bone, or surrounding soft tissue.
The clinical diagnosis of an impacted third molar is made systematically using the patient’s chief complaint and history, examination, and appropriate investigations. If an impacted third molar is symptomatic, it must be removed as soon as possible to avoid resorption of the second molar.
However, a number of clinical situations call for retaining an impacted third molar. For example, asymptomatic third molars with odontogenic cysts or tumors can be retained as a precautionary measure.
The removal of asymptomatic third molars should be considered only in higher risk cases, such as patients with TMJ disorders, myalgia, or atypical facial pain. Moreover, asymptomatic third molars must be evaluated for disease by a periodic oral examination and radiographs to ensure that the impacted third molar is not a source of disease or inflammation.
Impacted Second Molars
When the impacted second molars do not erupt, it can lead to problems with occlusion, bite, and hygiene. The impacted wisdom teeth can also cause dental cysts to develop around them, which can spread and weaken the adjacent teeth, leading to periodontitis.
In addition, impacted second molars can also block the eruption of third molars and can result in crossbite, which requires orthodontic treatment. This is why it is important to remove impacted wisdom teeth as early as possible, before they start to damage the adjacent teeth.
In a recent study, Zhu et al45 evaluated the PPD and CAL of impacted mandibular second molars with either interrupted suturing or anchored suturing after surgical removal. They found that the anchored suturing group had lower PPD and CAL than the interrupted suturing group after surgery. This indicates that anchor sutures may be better than interrupted suturing for the prevention of periodontal disease. They are recommended for patients with a high risk of periodontal disease who need surgery to remove an impacted second molar.
Impacted Front Teeth
When a tooth is impacted, it means that it’s not erupting correctly. This can be due to a number of reasons, including a crooked tooth that is blocking the eruption process, or a space that is too small for the tooth to erupt.
The most common impacted teeth are the third molars (wisdom teeth), second molars, and cuspids. These teeth usually do not cause problems, but they can create significant discomfort and damage to adjacent teeth if left untreated.
The upper eye teeth, also called canines, are the second most common teeth to become impacted. They’re the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together and play an important role in your “bite”.
