Wisdom teeth or the third molars are the last teeth that erupt in the mouth and most often do so during the ages between 18-25yrs. They are often associated with pain, swelling and extreme discomfort and these are the reasons that lead to people seeking their removal. The wisdom teeth are always trouble makers because they do not have space to erupt in the mouth and they put pressure on the adjacent teeth and jaw bone that causes pain.
How Can Wisdom Teeth Mess up Your Smile?
Most people undergo orthodontic or braces treatment during their early teens. At this time, the wisdom teeth are not fully formed and so do not erupt in the mouth. But, when the wisdom teeth erupt, they tend to put force and pressure on the teeth in front of them and this leads to crowding in the back teeth region of the jaw. So, a well-aligned smile that has been corrected by orthodontics or is naturally well- aligned, tends to become improper with the eruption of wisdom teeth.
In some cases where the wisdom teeth erupt during the orthodontic treatment, the orthodontist evaluates the space needed for it to erupt, its angulation and the potential path of eruption. This helps the orthodontist decide whether they need to be removed or be allowed to erupt.
So, a thorough examination of X-rays before, during and after treatment is important to understand the position and stage of the eruption of wisdom teeth. Visiting your orthodontist once a year even after your treatment is completed helps to prevent any damage that wisdom teeth can have on your teeth alignment.
In a few cases where the wisdom teeth are fully erupted and are healthy, they are used as additional support teeth for orthodontic treatment.
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