Many people wonder if they should have their wisdom teeth removed before getting braces. It’s not a one-size-fits-all decision, but it’s something to think about before getting started with orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontic patients should not worry about their wisdom teeth affecting the results of their treatment, as they exert very little force on other teeth.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
When wisdom teeth become impacted, they can cause numerous problems in the mouth. This condition means that the tooth cannot fully erupt from the jawbone or it partially erupts at the wrong angle.
Impacted wisdom teeth may also push against other teeth and damage them, causing cavities. In addition, they can exacerbate bite alignment issues that could require orthodontic treatment to correct.
If a person has impacted wisdom teeth, their dentist will want to monitor them during regular appointments. This allows them to see if the teeth are beginning to erupt and can help to prevent any future issues.
If a patient experiences any pain or discomfort associated with their impacted wisdom teeth, they should visit an orthodontist to get them evaluated as soon as possible. If the impacted teeth are causing a problem, they will need to be removed to prevent further damage and complications.
Impacted Third Molars
Third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, are the last teeth to develop in a person’s mouth and usually appear during the late teens or early twenties. They are located in the back of a patient’s mouth behind their upper and lower second molars.
When a person’s jaws are too small to allow their third molars to properly erupt, they can become impacted. This means that they cannot erupt in the correct position for chewing and cleaning and can lead to several dental problems if they are not removed.
Orthodontists often recommend the removal of impacted third molars in order to prevent pain and discomfort or to protect surrounding teeth and jaw bone. This procedure is generally safe and can be done under local or general anesthesia. Dentists will go over the risks with patients beforehand, so they understand what to expect.
Impacted Second Molars
Impacted second molars are typically not visible on clinical examination or radiographs and often are asymptomatic. Therefore, they may be missed until the patient experiences discomfort or a specialist advises that an X-ray is necessary.
In most cases, impacted second molars are treated by orthodontic uprighting techniques that use a tube bonded to the molar’s buccal surface and engaged with a super-elastic archwire to align and level the tooth. The molar is then advanced mesially to close the space.
Treatment modalities for mandibular second molar impaction depend on the degree of mesial angulation and its vertical depth, which could be assessed in a panoramic radiograph. If the angle between the long axis of the molars is greater than 40deg, then it is considered in mesial inclination; otherwise, it is distal inclination. The treatment option also depends on the patient’s age and etiology of the molar eruption disruption. The indications, contraindications, and advantages of each modality should be carefully discussed with the patient.
Impacted First Molars
First molars are the first permanent teeth to erupt in the mouth. They serve as an important record of a child’s prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal development.
An impacted first molar is a tooth that stays embedded in the bone or gum tissue for longer than it should. It can be caused by overcrowding, a cyst or other growth blocking the tooth’s path, or genetics.
Orthodontists may treat impacted first molars to help them erupt properly. They might extract the impacted tooth, close the space, or place a dental implant in its position.
Orthodontists also need to consider the effect of impacted first molars on the eruption of second molars. This is because the erupted first molars can block the space for the second molars to erupt in their place.