Why should impacted wisdom teeth (tooth number 8) be extracted?

The eighth tooth, also known as the wisdom tooth, often causes problems due to its susceptibility to infection, pain, and impact on adjacent teeth.

Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, from the Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery at Bach Mai Hospital, said that wisdom teeth (tooth number 8) are the last teeth to erupt in a person and usually come into existence when you reach adulthood, between the ages of 17 and 25.

However, there are cases where impacted wisdom teeth must be extracted to protect oral health and the safety of neighboring teeth. These teeth have no chewing function and play virtually no role. In fact, in most cases, impacted wisdom teeth can cause dangerous complications.

In some cases, wisdom teeth may erupt straight but fail to emerge from the gums; become impacted under the gum flap and cannot continue to erupt; erupt at an angle and pierce the root of an adjacent tooth; or erupt horizontally.

Complications from misaligned wisdom teeth include local infection. When wisdom teeth begin to erupt, the gum tissue separates. This creates a relatively favorable environment for bacteria to enter through the open tissues, causing pain, swelling, and inflammation.

These teeth can also cause reflex and sensory disturbances. A relatively high concentration of nerves is found around the lower molars. Therefore, when teeth erupt incorrectly or are impacted in the jawbone, they can easily compress these nerves, causing pain, discomfort when opening the mouth, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and even complete jaw stiffness.

When wisdom teeth (tooth number 8) develop but there is no longer enough space in the dental arch, they tend to tilt towards tooth number 7, causing misalignment, pain, loosening, or even breakage and loss of tooth number 7.

A woman is having a dental check-up. Photo: Freepik — A woman is having a dental check-up. Photo: *Freepik*

In some cases, wisdom teeth (tooth number 8) may erupt incorrectly but not cause severe pain. This usually occurs in the upper wisdom teeth. Therefore, after taking dental X-rays, the dentist will assess the direction of the wisdom tooth's growth. Whether or not extraction is necessary, and the difficulty of the extraction, will depend on these factors. Additionally, upper wisdom teeth are generally easier to extract than lower wisdom teeth.

When having a wisdom tooth extracted, patients need to clearly inform their dentist about any systemic illnesses or medications they are currently taking. Women who are menstruating should postpone the extraction until their cycle has completely ended. Pregnant women should wait until after giving birth to have their wisdom teeth extracted.

In the first few days after wisdom tooth extraction, the wound is still open. Therefore, you should choose soft, liquid foods that are easy to swallow, such as porridge or soup. Supplement with fruits and juices rich in vitamin C to help the gums heal faster.

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