Wisdom teeth are always a problem, and dentists recommend that they be extracted/removed, but sometimes there are benefits of keeping wisdom teeth intact. Before learning the advantages, let’s understand why Wisdom teeth are removed.
Dentists are winning the fight between them and Wisdom teeth, and that’s why wisdom teeth are extracted as soon as they erupt in the mouth but is it necessary to do so? Why can’t it be left as it is in the mouth? During the Early stages of human life, when we used to eat coarse and hard food, Wisdom teeth or the Third Molar were the savior and helped us grind it down.
Nowadays, We eat cooked food, which is very soft compared to the past, and that’s why the use of wisdom teeth is decreasing day by day. Some Dentists even consider it to be a vestigial tooth. Even our mouths are relatively smaller than our ancestors, and there is very little space left for the eruption of the wisdom tooth.
But why do Dentists insist on getting the wisdom tooth removed? Well, Wisdom teeth give rise to many dental problems such as tooth resorption, Infection, Pericoronitis, Crowding of teeth, etc. But when is keeping a wisdom tooth beneficial? Let’s find out.
Benefits of keeping wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth cause several dental issues, due to which dentists prefer to extract them as soon as they erupt, but in some cases, these teeth are beneficial to be kept in the mouth.
Used as a support
If molar teeth are missing, a third molar or wisdom tooth is used as an abutment(support) to make a fixed partial denture. It is a strong tooth and works as an excellent abutment if fully erupted and not tilted.
To Chew
If a patient’s both molars are fallen for any reason, Wisdom teeth are used to chew and grind the food. It is helpful as it is also a molar and can grind down food easily.
Avoid Post Operative Complications
Wisdom tooth removal involves minor surgery, which can be avoided if the wisdom tooth is kept intact in the mouth.
These benefits don’t mean we should keep wisdom teeth in the mouth. It should only be kept in the mouth if it is not causing any problems and not affecting the surrounding structures.
When can Wisdom teeth be kept intact in the mouth?
Wisdom teeth can be left unextracted inside the mouth only if it is :
- Unimpacted – If the tooth is impacted, then it can cause root resorption of the tooth in front of it. If the wisdom teeth erupt without impacting, they can be kept in the mouth.
- Erupted fully – If wisdom teeth do not erupt fully, they can become a site for infection and food accumulation causing rotting of the wisdom teeth. This can lead to several dental issues.
- Not causing a problem to other teeth – If the wisdom teeth are not pushing the teeth in front of it to make space, they can be left in the mouth.
- Enough space in mouth – If there is no space in the mouth, Wisdom teeth can irritate the tissue behind it, causing pericoronitis and can also cause resorption of the tooth in front of it.
- Not decayed – A wisdom tooth is only kept intact in the mouth if it is not decayed, as a decayed wisdom tooth can cause serious infections or tooth abscesses.
If your wisdom teeth have all these characteristics, they can be left inside your mouth.