The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

Problems with wisdom teeth avoidable

When it comes to wisdom teeth, freshman Morgan Kozey said she was one of the lucky ones. After being informed by her dentist a year-and-a-half ago her wisdom teeth needed to be removed, the process went smoothly, she said.

“For me, it was very easy,” Kozey said, explaining the dentist who performed the removal gave her an IV for sedation. “I remember them counting down from 10, and then I woke up.”

Kozey said she hadn’t experienced any problems with her wisdom teeth prior to their removal, but her dentist still recommended the procedure.

“They just told me I needed to (have them removed),” she said. “If I would have let them grow in, they would’ve probably moved my teeth. I never let that happen.”

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Multiple problems can occur with the formation and eruption of wisdom teeth, but not everyone experiences these problems. Dr. Randal Shook, a dentist at Menomonie Street Dental, 1020 Menomonie St., said the situation varies from person to person. While the complications presented by wisdom teeth may vary with each person, there are ways to predict and eliminate future problems.

Shook said wisdom teeth, or third molars, generally erupt during a person’s late teens and early 20s. The wisdom teeth are the last molars to come in, so there may not always be enough room for them in the mouth, Shook said.

“It depends on the size of the individual’s jaw,” he said.

Shook said the main ways to tell if there will be a problem is through the person’s jaw size and x-rays of the teeth. Often, the x-rays will tell at what angle the wisdom teeth will come in and if they are impacted, he said. According to the American Dental Association’s Web site, wisdom teeth are impacted if they are not fully emerged or aren’t aligned correctly.

Dr. Sean Tarpenning, an orthodontist for Hebert Dental, 4710 Commerce Valley Rd., agreed x-rays and careful monitoring of the wisdom teeth are good means of predicting possible problems.

“The best way to analyze it is to take a panoramic x-ray to view the angulations,” Tarpenning said. “Just watch them every few years as the roots grow and form.”

If the wisdom teeth are allowed to erupt, many complications can occur, Tarpenning said.

“They can cause a number of different issues,” he said. “If they come in all the way, they can push on other teeth.”

Depending on the angle of the eruption, the wisdom teeth can come in sideways or backwards, possibly pressing on the other teeth and causing shifts, Tarpenning said.

Another problem could come from the eruption of the wisdom teeth, Shook said. Because there may not be enough room for the extra teeth, the wisdom teeth may be able to only partially erupt, thus keeping them clean through brushing very difficult, he said.

The partial eruption is also difficult on the gums, Tarpenning said. A partially exposed tooth can cause pain and possibly infection, he said.

Orthodontic problems may also occur with the eruption of the wisdom teeth. Tarpenning said their eruption can crowd the other teeth as well as shift bites, making wisdom teeth “absolutely” a factor when creating orthodontic plans for patients, Tarpenning said.

“You may finish and do a nice job, but if you don’t pay attention, (the wisdom teeth) may mess everything up,” he said.

If the decision to extract the wisdom teeth is made, a general dentist may perform the extraction or the patient may be referred to a specialist, Shook said. An oral surgeon is generally required if nerves close to the wisdom teeth may be affected by the extraction, he said.

Shook cautioned that simply because wisdom teeth don’t cause problems initially, it doesn’t mean the procedure shouldn’t be done.

“People say ‘if I don’t need it, I don’t want it,'” Shook said, noting he’s had patients in their 40s and 50s who need their wisdom teeth removed. “(The extraction) is much more traumatic at an older age than say 17, 18 or 19.”

Yet there are people who may never have problems with their third molars. Avery Crumpton, a freshman, is one of those who said she hasn’t experienced any troubles with her wisdom teeth. She hasn’t had them removed and has no immediate plans to change that, she said.

“If they bother me, or if it becomes an issue, then I will (remove them),” Crumpton said.

With all the variables involved in making decisions about wisdom teeth, patients and their dentists must choose the course of action. And this choice may differ with every person, Tarpenning said.

“It’s case by case, honestly,” Tarpenning said. “Some people can have perfectly straight teeth and the wisdom teeth can come in perfectly straight too. It really is patient by patient.”

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Problems with wisdom teeth avoidable