Your wisdom teeth are your final set of adult teeth and your third set of molars. As a result, they are not designed to fall out naturally. Even when they emerge incorrectly or begin to crowd other teeth, the situation will practically never fix itself. The only times you might see the wisdom teeth fall out is in the case of a serious infection. Such a condition could put the rest of your mouth, and potentially your life, at risk. That is why problematic wisdom teeth will almost always have to be removed by your dentist at Jesmine Boghawala DDS in Cerritos.
The Natural Role of Wisdom Teeth
As annoying as they may be, your wisdom teeth exist for a reason. Like your other two sets of molars, your wisdom teeth can grind, tear, and crush food. Prior to the introduction of reliable farming techniques, our ancestors had to work much harder to break down the foods available to them. As a result, their diet required a more powerful jaw and an additional set of molars. These teeth helped work through many of the foods that they could find.
Of course, our diet has changed dramatically over the centuries thanks to ongoing innovation. We live on a diet of much softer foods and no longer need the mandibular strength of our ancestors. That is why many evolutionary scientists posit that the average human jaw has shrunk in size over the centuries. This had made the average jaw too small to accommodate the wisdom teeth in those who still develop them. The general argument is that wisdom teeth are vestigial. And we will eventually stop developing them as a species unless our diet changes in such a way that they become necessary again.
Possible Complications
Unfortunately, we as a species are stuck in the awkward position of growing in unnecessary teeth that tend to create extensive complications because they simply have nowhere to go. When your wisdom teeth cannot to emerge correctly, we call consider them “impacted.” They may end up partially or totally impacted, depending on just how much room you have at the back of your jaw. Either way, both scenarios can lead to trouble.
Partially impacted wisdom teeth will sometimes try to force their way through. This can cause the surrounding teeth to move, creating a domino effect where your teeth become crowded and crooked. They may even damage your secondary molars during this process, while increasing your risk of developing an infection. Totally impacted wisdom teeth may even form cysts that can cause extensive damage to your jawbone and other oral tissues. In this scenario, it may be necessary to remove the infected tissue and bone to prevent the spread of infection.
Can Wisdom Teeth Fall Out Naturally?
To prevent any of these cases, a good pediatric dentist will follow the development of your child’s wisdom teeth very carefully. Thanks to x-rays, your dentist may be able to tell whether or not the wisdom teeth are viable in your child’s early teens. If a child’s wisdom teeth are unviable or an adult is having issues with emerging wisdom teeth, then the problem is easily solved by having a wisdom tooth extraction in Cerritos.
The procedure is fairly straightforward. We use sedation according to the current placement of the wisdom teeth and the patient’s needs. Afterwards, patients may experience some aching. Also you may have swelling in addition to the effects of any sedation medication. As long as you have a ride home and plan to eat softer foods for a few days, you can go back to school or work as early as the next day.
