“Wisdom teeth” are actually our third molars. They titillate our gums long after our permanent teeth have come in, at a time when we are supposed to have become wise. Called by the Greeks “Sōfronistires”, which literally means “those that make one wise”, these later teeth are temperamental and their settling in your mouth may lead your dentist to advocate for their extraction.
Drs. Dagenais, Lachapelle and Le of the Centre Dentaire & D’Implantologie Boucherville on the South Shore of Montreal, near Longueuil and Varennes, put their expertise at your disposal to advise you on what to do about these problematic teeth.
So Are You Wise or Unwise? Your Teeth Won’t Tell You!
We need to go back in time to understand why “wisdom teeth” appear so late in life. A few thousand years ago, our ancestors ate mainly raw meat and nuts. The consequences of this diet for our teeth were quickly devastating: damaged, broken, worn teeth… Mother Nature found a solution: she gave us extra, strong molars as adults. We could continue to eat, therefore, to live!
But our diet has changed since those ancient times and these teeth, imposing, large and strong, pose more problems than they solve. Cavities, cysts, infections, damage to neighbouring teeth are frequent consequences of their appearance … not to mention the nagging and often unbearable pain they can generate. If you are one of the privileged few who do not have any, or only some of them, consider yourself very lucky!
Indeed, often “wisdom teeth” do not manage to grow sufficiently out of the gums or remain trapped there. But some of them try again and again, hence the famous pain that can only stop when the offenders are removed. In the case of partial growth, problems also arise: pain, cysts, damage to neighbouring teeth … not to mention the fact that their difficult access makes them impossible to clean properly, leading to cavities and infections.
If it is preferable to intervene before the age of 25, when “wisdom teeth” tend to appear, often violently, you can avoid many long-term inconveniences by having our experts perform a thorough oral examination, regardless of your age. They will decide on the best course of action and, if necessary, advise you to have an extraction, thus anticipating or definitively solving all present or future problems.
Your dentist will support you so that you can get through the aftermath of your surgery as smoothly as possible. Painkillers administered before the anesthetic wears off will be prescribed to anticipate the pain, and your dentist will clearly explain to you what to do in the days following the extraction: diet, oral hygiene, rest, recommended actions, actions to avoid, etc.
Once useful, but now obsolete, our “wisdom teeth” often remind us of their presence as adults. They are embedded in the jawbone and can be forgotten for some time, even for years. But because of a lack of space in the oral cavity, an incorrect eruption axis, or their inaccessibility for an efficient cleaning, they can become the source of very painful problems. They must therefore be monitored very closely.
Highly Skilled Professionals Are Waiting for You!
A thorough oral examination will enable us to decide what to do about your “wisdom teeth.” Whatever the decision, Dr. Dagenais, Dr. Lachapelle and Dr. Le at the Centre Dentaire & D’Implantologie Boucherville will listen to you and take their time to find the best solution for you. Consult them in complete confidence: your health and well-being are their priority.