Wisdom teeth are third molars that usually emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. This emergence causes the wisdom teeth to exert pressure on the other teeth and cause issues such as misalignment, overlapping, overcrowding and ultimately, discomfort.
As such, a visit to the dentist to have the wisdom teeth removed will normally be required to eliminate these dental issues. However, does the extraction of wisdom teeth cause misalignment with the rest of your teeth? The quick answer: no.
If you want to learn more about the functions of a wisdom tooth extraction and whether or not it changes the alignment of your teeth, then please keep on reading.
A wisdom tooth extraction is meant to treat several different dental problems that are often linked to teeth misalignment. Some signs of misalignment that a wisdom tooth extraction process is meant to address include the following:
By removing wisdom teeth, you are not causing the other teeth to shift, but you are relieving pressure caused by the wisdom tooth on the other teeth.
Moreover, since wisdom teeth are located at the back of the mouth, they cannot really cause alignment changes once they are removed.
Though wisdom tooth extraction does not cause your teeth to become misaligned, it can cause minor shifts, which many people mistake as a misalignment sensation.
For example, once the wisdom teeth are removed, there is more space in your mouth. As such, your teeth may move slightly due to the fact that there is no more pressure exerted on them by the wisdom teeth.
However, your teeth will not drastically shift to the point that they create large gaps and spaces in between.
Essentially, your teeth will just be shifting back to their original position before pressure was exerted on them by the wisdom teeth. They are not necessarily misaligning themselves.
Overbites and underbites are other issues that are caused by jaw misalignment. This means it is not possible for a wisdom tooth extraction to cause an overbite or an underbite to form.
The same concept for overbites and underbites applies to crossbites. Wisdom teeth cannot cause them, but after an extraction, many people feel they might have the sensation of a crossbite because the slight shift in teeth makes them feel that the teeth do not align as they did before.
However, this is not a misalignment problem caused by a wisdom tooth extraction.
Impacted teeth are another common occurrence that is caused by wisdom teeth. This occurs when teeth do not break through the gum line due to a lack of space in the mouth. This misalignment will be corrected through a wisdom tooth extraction, not caused by it.
In addition to that, misalignment issues cause some teeth to take the majority of the bite force. However, once the wisdom teeth are removed, your teeth will become relieved of pressure, resulting in the force of your bite to become more evenly spread across your teeth.
This causes a strange sensation and is also why some people feel as though the alignment of their teeth has changed.
Though removing your wisdom teeth does not change the alignment of your teeth, you will definitely feel a difference in how your jaw or bite fits together. Your teeth will be much better off without the added pressure!
It is important to allow your mouth to have some recovery time after a wisdom tooth extraction. This will give your teeth some time to settle and adjust after having endured all the pressure exerted by the wisdom tooth.
Normal conditions after a wisdom tooth extraction may include discomfort and swelling of the gums which may feel the teeth have shifted. However, once the swelling has left, your bite will return back to normal again.
Usually, a full recovery period will take about 2 weeks or sometimes up to 4 weeks but this will be different for everyone.
As we can see from above, having your wisdom teeth extracted shouldn’t have an impact on the alignment of your teeth. If you have your wisdom teeth extracted, it may take a few weeks for your mouth and teeth to adjust but after that, things will go back to normal.
If you are searching for a dental clinic in the Cranbourne area to have your wisdom teeth extracted, or for any other dental procedure, then look no further than Shine Dental Group.
Shine Dental Group offers a full array of dental services to help you and your family maintain healthy teeth and are a trusted and reliable dentist in Cranbourne.
To learn more about our services or make an appointment, please contact us today on (03) 5995 9789.
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