Can my wisdom teeth be left in place with braces?
Wisdom teeth or “eight teeth” are very uncomfortable – to begin with, they are the last to erupt when you are relatively old (usually before the age of 25). This process is often accompanied by soreness, inflammation of the gums and damage to the oral mucosa.
Functionally, we no longer need wisdom teeth; in the past, our ancestors used them to chew the hard, coarse food in the everyday diet, but now they are just a rudiment. This is why the question often arises for the patient: Wouldn’t it be better to have the wisdom teeth extracted than to endure the discomfort? And this is especially true for those planning orthodontic treatment.
How braces and wisdom teeth are related
One of the probable reasons for the need for braces is the lack of space on the jaw for a full set of teeth. The fact is that a person’s jaw used to be larger, also due to lifestyle and diet, but now the jaw has gotten smaller, so the teeth simply do not fit on it, and crowding of the teeth can occur. This is not very aesthetically pleasing and can cause problems with hygiene and several dental problems. Alternatively, teeth that do not fit together may begin to protrude, resulting in an overbite. These problems are solved by braces, but the orthodontist will always face the question of whether wisdom teeth should be extracted before treatment or whether they should be kept.
Do you have to have your wisdom teeth extracted for braces?
Not really. If the teeth have fully erupted and they are healthy, not affected by decay or other stomatological problems and do not interfere with neighbouring teeth, no extraction is necessary. It is important that the incorrect bite, which is what orthodontic treatment is intended to correct, is not due to problems with the wisdom teeth. In any case, the final decision will be made by the doctor after an initial examination and diagnosis.
If extraction of wisdom teeth is nevertheless necessary, it is carried out by the surgeon before treatment begins. The eight teeth are usually removed in pairs so that facial symmetry is not impaired. For certain indications, it is not recommended to avoid the surgery because once the braces are in place, the mechanical action will certainly help to align the teeth, but over time, the teeth may shift back into their original position.
Does it hurt to have a wisdom tooth extracted?
At Medi-Line, an extraction is performed with a piezo scalpel, a state-of-the-art device based on ultrasonic vibrations. Piezoscalpel affects only tooth hard tissue, while soft tissue is not affected, which greatly reduces discomfort and minimizes the possibility of trauma. This applies even in complicated cases, such as wisdom teeth on the lower jaw where the bone is much denser, or “receding figure eights” that grow horizontally and put pressure on neighbouring teeth.
In addition, patients at our clinic always have access to modern and safe anaesthesia to make the extraction process as comfortable as possible. There are several anaesthetic options, the most suitable one being selected by the doctor taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient’s body.
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If the doctor does decide at the consultation that removal is necessary, it will take some time to recover afterwards. It is important to follow all the recommendations that have been made by the surgeon for the postoperative period. After that, orthodontic treatment can be started as planned. If an extraction is not necessary, the wisdom teeth are healthy and do not interfere with the placement of braces, you can start on the path to a new smile immediately after the initial examination by the orthodontist and agreement on a treatment plan.
