Dental Alignment and Wisdom Teeth Growth

As a reminder, we all have 4 wisdom teeth that generally appear by the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood, between the ages of 16 and 25, a period during which many patients receive orthodontic treatment.

Characterized as the third molars, they are the last teeth to “grow” in the back of our mouths. The problem is that they rarely position themselves correctly on our jaw, which can cause some unpleasant pain and also destabilize the alignment of our teeth.

So, can the development of these wisdom teeth, which can grow in late for some adults, affect your dental alignment? Is the result the same for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment? Is it advisable to extract these molars for everyone? Dr. Normand Bach answers all these questions in this article!

The Effect of Wisdom Teeth on Your Dental Alignment

It is important to know that our teeth are constantly changing. Originally, wisdom teeth helped our ancestors to fight the most resistant foods (nuts, roots, meat, etc.). Their jaws had to be powerful in order to feed themselves. Today, with our evolution which can be seen as a consequence of many daily factors, our body changes, our jaw transforms. From now on, these wisdom teeth no longer have enough space to develop.

Indeed, these robust molars need room to grow and do not hesitate to push their neighbors in the mouth, even if it means damaging them by directly affecting the alignment of your teeth. The risk of overlapping teeth and rotation of the front teeth can increase considerably over time. Also, oral hygiene can be impacted, leading to complications with various repercussions.

To avoid this situation, the best way for your orthodontist to visualize your wisdom teeth is to take an X-ray of your mouth. As you can see, from a practical, health or aesthetic point of view, the importance of the eruption of wisdom teeth is to be taken into consideration. However, keep in mind that your smile or your occlusion is not impacted by the loss of a tooth!

Wisdom Teeth Removal During or After Orthodontic Treatment

In the past, dental experts were unanimous: The removal of wisdom teeth, which cause crowding of the incisors, was systematic. Nowadays, it’s quite different. The removal of teeth depends on the growth of the teeth, their position and the length of their roots.

In fact, only in case of major complications, infections, or even persistent discomfort, will your orthodontist advise you to remove your wisdom teeth. In addition, it has become rare to have to remove your third molars after or during orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment allows most of your teeth to grow naturally without affecting the alignment of your teeth. Also, there is no significant difference between patients who have had their third molars extracted and those who still have them.

It should be noted that orthodontic recurrences, i.e., the need to wear braces again, are not related to the growth of wisdom teeth. Therefore, if the incisors move after orthodontic treatment, there is no need to blame the wisdom teeth! Physiological and muscular factors come into play here.

A Case-By-Case Dental Follow-Up

In the end, when faced with the observation of an overlapping tooth and the disruption of your teeth, several causalities can be considered. However, today, note that wisdom teeth are not systematically linked to this abnormal growth and to your dental transformation.

If treated, your orthodontist may conclude that it is not necessary to remove them. However, a dental follow-up, based on the alignment of your teeth after your treatment, will be performed. Although some people have their wisdom teeth erupting relatively late, it is difficult to predict the arrival of these molars. Only you are able to feel possible symptoms following the growth of your teeth.

Don’t hesitate to make an appointment now with Dr. Normand Bach, your orthodontist, to clear up any doubts you may have. He will take the time to answer all your questions, give you his expertise opinion and advise you on the best strategy to follow. Dr. Normand Bach, good all the way!