Wisdom teeth are a remnant of humanity's distant past when humans ate coarse foods that required excessive chewing and grinding. An extra set of molars were useful to replace teeth that were worn away by these foods.

The term "wisdom teeth" comes from the fact that this set of four molars appear in the very back of the mouth as a person reaches young adulthood.  

While these teeth were useful to our ancestors, they can be a source of dental problems for modern humans, because although they retained the extra set of teeth, the jawbone of humans grew smaller over time.

Why do wisdom teeth need to be removed?

Because modern human jawbones have trouble accommodating an additional set of molars, teeth become compacted, leaving little space between teeth for flossing and other dental hygiene measures.

In addition, wisdom teeth themselves may have trouble finding space in a mouth full of mature teeth. This can lead to impacted wisdom teeth, which can't fully break through the gum. Wisdom teeth may grow in at an angle, each of these conditions can lead to infections or inadequate dental hygiene.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

Dental patients are referred to an oral surgeon for wisdom teeth removal. While removal of wisdom teeth is often recommended when dental issues are already present, dentists may suggest preemptive removal. This may be done because of overcrowded or crooked teeth, or potential for future teeth crowding.

Wisdom teeth extraction is done under sedation because they are often difficult to remove because of their location in the mouth and the general difficulty of removing healthy molars. Cutting may be required if the teeth cannot be pulled using conventional methods. A designated driver is necessary to take the patient home after sedation and the trauma of the extractions.

How long is the recovery time for wisdom teeth removal?

Wisdom teeth extraction may cause residual pain and bleeding for a few days after the procedure. Cotton gauze must be kept in the area of the mouth where the extractions occurred for at least twenty fours. This helps the resulting opening in the mouth to clot sufficiently to stop blood flow.

Pain may be controlled by non-prescription pain medicines such as acetaminophen and prescription narcotics that can be used for a limited time if pain is severe. Aspirin and other salicylate type pain medicine should not be used because they thin the blood and delay clotting.

Chewing in the area where the extraction occurred is prohibited during healing. Because of this fact, many patients choose to have the two wisdom teeth on each side of the mouth pulled on separate appointments. Contact local professionals, such as those from Campus Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, for further assistance.