The third molars, which are named in different ways such as 20-year-old teeth and wisdom teeth in the society, are located behind all the teeth in the jaw and generally begin to erupt between the ages of 17 and 25. Sometimes they cannot find a place for themselves and remain buried.

Wisdom Teeth May Cause:

Caries: Saliva, bacteria and food particles accumulate in the socket opened by the newly emerging tooth,
threatening both the wisdom tooth and the second molar next to it. It is quite difficult to detect
and treat this type of caries. Severe pictures may occur that cause pain and infection and result
in an abscess.

Pericoronitis: A sac in which bacteria and food residues are stored forms in the gingiva around
a partially erupted wisdom tooth. This condition causes mild pain similar to bad breath and
sore throat in the early period. If it is not treated, the picture becomes severe, intense pain,
significant swelling in the cheek and neck region and trismus (inability to open the mouth completely)
are observed. The infection can spread to the cheek and neck via lymph. This infection-prone ground
around the wisdom tooth is easily a candidate for inflammation every time, so the tooth should be
extracted as soon as possible.

Pressure Pain: If pressure is applied to the adjacent teeth while riding, a pain may be felt due to
compression. In some cases, this pressure can cause the root of the adjacent tooth to melt.
This pain can sometimes be confused with a sore throat or earache.

Reasons Related to Prosthesis: In a mouth where prosthesis is planned, it is necessary to take
into account the wisdom teeth. Because after the wisdom tooth is extracted, it will be necessary
to make a new prosthesis according to the changing mouth structure.

Cyst Formation: Cystic cases caused by impacted teeth have been observed. The cyst causes bone
destruction, enlargement of the jaw, and displacement or damage to the surrounding teeth.
To prevent bone destruction, the tooth should be extracted and the cyst should be cleaned.
Rarely, if this cyst spreads to very large areas, it can turn into tumors or cause spontaneous
fractures of the jawbone.

Temporomandibular Joint Problems: Wisdom teeth may drive themselves from behind or cause the position
of the second molars in front to change, causing the axis of movement of the jaw to shift.
This insidiously leads to the development of joint disease over time. If the disease, which gives
the first sign of the joint when opening and closing the mouth, can progress to severe pain and
the inability to open the mouth at all.
Deterioration of Teeth Alignment: Many patients with properly aligned teeth until the age of 18-20
report that their teeth are warped due to eruption and/or compression of the wisdom teeth after this age.

When Should Wisdom Teeth Be Extracted?

The best time for extraction is before the roots of the teeth are fully formed. Although the exact timing
varies from person to person, it can be defined as the 14-18 age range. The main goal is to perform
the extraction without any problems such as caries, infection, etc. Even if this period is skipped,
the teeth can be extracted without any problems by performing a radiological examination.

What are the Risks of Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Whether or not wisdom tooth extraction is risky depends entirely on its position. The extraction of wisdom
teeth that have erupted into the mouth, like other teeth, is no different from a normal tooth extraction.
However, in the lower jaw, these teeth are naturally located in a region close to the jaw nerve. Today,
thanks to 3D imaging methods, the relationship of the tooth with the nerve can be clearly determined and
the risks of numbness of the jaw can be minimized.
Another important point is that especially impacted tooth extraction procedures must be done
by a specialist.