A lot of people are concerned about their wisdom teeth pushing their other teeth crooked. Wisdom teeth are your third molars. They usually develop enough to come into the mouth by the late teens or early twenties.
Most people do not have enough room for the wisdom teeth to erupt into the mouth to be useful and healthy teeth. It is rare for the third molars to eurupt into a normal position to be useful teeth, but it does happen.
For most of us, the wisdom teeth can come in partially - often leaning at an angle and partially covered by gum tissue. These teeth that are in half way can be a real source of problems - infection and pain. It is usually a good idea to have teeth like this removed - often the sooner the better.
In other cases, the wisdom tooth gets stuck on the second molar - impacted. These teeth may not cause problems right away, but there is a good chance they eventually will. Again it is a good idea to get them out.
We used to believe that the wisdom teeth could try to force their way in and push the other teeth around to become more crooked. The evidence for this is not very good. It is completely normal for teeth to move whether or not you have had braces, and whether or not you have wisdom teeth.
Some people do not have some or all of their wisdom teeth - they never develop. More commonly, a person has their wisdom teeth, but they are stuck in the gum and bone. They may cause problems in the future. Your dentist is the best person to guide you on these cases.
If you have any questions about wisdom teeth, please ask us. I got mine out in my early twenties. My own daughter, who is nineteen years old now, will likely be getting hers out in the next year or so. They are starting to bother her and it is time to schedule the extractions at a time that will fit with her school schedule.
To close I should make some smart remark about wisdom etc., but I won't.
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About Me
- Dr. John Campbell
- I was born and raised in Winnipeg. Dentistry is in my blood. My grandfather, Fred Campbell, owned and operated a dental lab in Winnipeg. My father, Dr. William Campbell, or Bill, was an orthodontist until he retired in 1989. I used to hang around the office and I caught the bug. I graduated from The University of Manitoba with my D.M.D. in 1981. I spent one year interning at The Children’s Hospital Dental Program. I decided to be an orthodontist like my father – he loved his job and that was good enough for me. I received my orthodontic education at the University of Manitoba Graduate Orthodontic Program I love technology. More than technology, I am interested in getting better – I want to improve the service we provide to our patients, parents and their dentists, because a healthy smile is a team effort. My goal and that of my staff is never to stop getting better. I have two wonderful children. My daughter Alex is in third year Engineering at the University of Manitoba and my son Reid is in his first year of University and interested in geology. I am very happy that both of my kids are excited about the possibilities for education and technology as I am.