WHY ARE WISDOM TEETH/3RD MOLARS OFTEN EXTRACTED BY DENTISTS

Wisdom Tooth or the 3^rd Molar is the most commonly Extracted tooth due to pathological reasons by Dentists. Wisdom Teeth or 3^rd molar teeth are being considered as vestigial parts of the human body as with evolution over decades it is seen that in some people 3^rd molars are completely absent not even tooth buds are seen, and in others the jaw size decreasing constantly is the main reason for the lack of space for the 3^rd Molars to erupt into Occlusion and Leading to Impaction. 

There are various steps in Local Examination to diagnose Impaction and the type of Surgery required to remove it. For example Wharf’s Assessment of Impacted 3^rd Molar. 

WHY A DENTIST PREFERS REMOVAL OF 3^RD MOLAR & ASKS THE PATIENT TO GET IT EXTRACTED.

REASONS FOR 3^RD MOLAR EXTRACTION:

Most Commonly Impacted Tooth:

We all know that 3^rd molars are the most commonly impacted teeth in the oral cavity after them comes the canines, but because of impaction the other teeth in the oral cavity are affected mostly 2^nd Molar which is adjacent and due to the position of the 3^rd molar it is most commonly affected. If there is Mesial Impaction of 3^rd Molar there is a trench formed between the crowns of 3^rd & 2^nd molar which will lead to food accumulation and if there is horizontal impaction the crown of 3^rd molar will impinge on the root of 2^nd molar leading to resorption of the root. Hence for this main reason 3^rd molar is the most extracted tooth in the Oral Cavity.

Lack of Space in the Dental Arch:

Due to constant evolutionary changes to living being the change in living conditions and the lack of requirement of that extra tooth to chew and to get good appearance the Jaw Size of Humans is decreasing and this is leading to loss of Space in jaw for the 3^rd molar to erupt which takes place after the growth stage is finished in Boys/Girls.

Lack of space due to decrease in Jaw Size is the major reason for impaction of 3rd molar which in turn leads  to Extraction of the impacted 3^rd Molar.

Unwanted Location of the tooth:

Due to lack of space and the tooth having no place to go the tooth is seen to get stuck in various unwanted locations which are classified as Mesial, Distal, Horizontal, vertical Impaction and this is the cause of various conditions like caries, cysts, Pericoronities etc and the only solution is removal of this harmful tooth. Sometimes the root of Impacted 3^rd molar most commonly impinges on the inferior or Dental Alveolar Nerve Canal, so Relation of 3^rd molar to Dental/Inf alveolar nerve canal is important in diagnosing & deciding the treatment plan. 

Difficult to Clean & Prevent caries:

Due to the location of 3^rd Molar in the far end of the oral cavity & at many times because of its odd locations makes it very difficult to clean and remove Food & Debris from accumulating which will lead to caries to the Impacted tooth & along with it the adjacent 2^nd Molar Caries is seen in both 3^rd Molar & the distal aspect of 2^nd Molar, so to protect the2nd molar removal of 3^rd Molar is compulsory.

Common reason for Pericoronitis:

Pericoronitis is the most common complain in 3^rd molar impactions and the most common reason why people come to know that they have impacted tooth and visit the dentist. Pericoronitis is nothing but inflammation of the soft tissue covering the crown of the Impacted 3^rd molar because it constantly gets impinged between the 3^rd & 2^nd molar crowns.