Wisdom teeth, also called “third molars”, refer to the four third molars, one on each side of the alveolar bone. It usually grows after the age of 16, and because it is the last tooth to erupt at this age, it is named “wisdom tooth”, a symbol of “wisdom coming”. However, contrary to its beautiful meaning, as the jawbone gradually becomes smaller during human growth and evolution, the space left for wisdom teeth will also gradually become smaller, and usually the last wisdom teeth to erupt will be blocked due to lack of space, bringing us a series of hazards. What are the dangers of wisdom teeth? A blocked wisdom tooth, i.e. a wisdom tooth that can only partially erupt or cannot erupt at all, may clinically lead to a series of hazards, among which the common hazards are: 1. causing recurrent pericoronitis Wisdom tooth pericoronitis is the most common hazard, mainly due to the formation of a “blind pocket” between the soft tissue around the crown of the wisdom tooth and the tooth, causing the accumulation of food and bacteria, etc. Patients with pericoronitis usually experience systemic symptoms such as localized swelling, pain, pus spillage and even fever. Wisdom tooth pericoronitis can be very mild and common, usually cured by anti-inflammatory treatment, but it can also be very dangerous and can lead to infection of the maxillofacial space if not treated aggressively. It is important to note that severe wisdom teeth can cause a high probability of interstitial infection and may even cause serious complications such as sepsis and septicemia, endangering the patient’s life. 2, causing damage to neighboring teeth The blocked wisdom teeth, such as anteriorly inclined wisdom teeth, will form an open gap with neighboring teeth, which is easy to accumulate food residue and not easy to clean, which can lead to caries of neighboring teeth and even pulpitis after a long time. Or it may lead to the root of the neighboring teeth or the resorption of the distal middle bone due to the pressure. In addition, due to the decay of adjacent teeth, there are often cases that need to be “extracted one to send one” in the clinic. 3.Leading to temporomandibular joint disorder The obstructed wisdom teeth cannot establish normal occlusal relationship with the opposing teeth, which may cause symptoms such as popping of temporomandibular joint, painful opening of mouth and night grinding over time. 4.Other For example, the obstructed wisdom teeth may compress the nerve during the growth process and become the focal point of some neuralgia. Or if the tumor patient does not remove the blocked wisdom teeth before radiotherapy, the infection may lead to osteomyelitis or even osteonecrosis of the radioactive jaw later. When do wisdom teeth need to be extracted? The sooner wisdom teeth that are blocked and/or symptomatic are removed, the better. Removal of wisdom teeth is usually recommended before the age of 25, because before this age, the wisdom teeth have just erupted, the roots are usually not fully stabilized, there is less action on the inferior alveolar nerve canal, and there is relatively little resistance to removal of wisdom teeth at this time. In addition, preventive removal of asymptomatic wisdom teeth can be considered because most wisdom teeth have little to no masticatory function and because of the harm they may cause. Clinically, it is strongly recommended that women preparing for pregnancy have their wisdom teeth removed to avoid potential harm that may be caused by wisdom teeth during the course of pregnancy. Wisdom teeth that erupt in an orthotropic position, have a normal adjacent relationship with the adjacent teeth, have a normal occlusal relationship with the opposing teeth, and are asymptomatic may be considered for retention. Those that are completely buried in the bone, have no periodontal communication with the adjacent teeth, and have no symptoms caused by pressure on the nerve can also be considered for retention. If the wisdom tooth itself is normal, when the neighboring teeth cannot be retained, the wisdom tooth can be tractioned to the position of the second molar to perform its function in conjunction with orthodontic treatment. What do I need to pay attention to when I have my wisdom teeth extracted? 1. Extraction is not recommended during the acute period of pericoronitis of wisdom teeth: in such cases, anti-inflammatory and anti-infection treatment is required before extraction. 2. It is best to extract before pregnancy, especially the wisdom teeth that are blocked should be extracted early, because in case of pericoronitis or interstitial infection of wisdom teeth when pregnant, it will be tricky to handle and may even be life-threatening. 3.Tooth extraction before radiotherapy: Before radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal or oral cancer, the obstructed wisdom teeth must be extracted to avoid potential hazards such as osteomyelitis or osteonecrosis of jaw bone that may be caused by wisdom teeth. 4.Serious wisdom teeth or patients in poor physical condition need to be extracted by inpatient surgery. For example, if there are contraindications to tooth extraction, such as serious cardiovascular disease, the relevant examination needs to be perfected and the tooth can be extracted only under the supervision of the operating room. 5. Precautions after tooth extraction: Generally speaking, the extraction socket will initially heal in a week or so, and the impact on eating will gradually become smaller. However, if there is localized and obvious pain after tooth extraction, even if painkillers are ineffective, it is generally considered whether it is dry socket (dry socket is an infection of bone trauma caused by oral bacteria after tooth extraction, which usually appears 3-4 days after tooth extraction, mainly manifesting as persistent and severe local pain and involving auriculotemporal pain, which cannot be relieved by taking general analgesics). In addition, if symptoms of infection, significant swelling or pain appear after tooth extraction, prompt medical attention is recommended. In general, wisdom teeth, especially obstructed wisdom teeth, have a range of hazards. Common hazards include wisdom teeth that can cause pericoronitis or lead to damage to adjacent teeth, and we generally recommend extraction. Although some of the problems that may be encountered with wisdom tooth extraction or the precautions to be taken after extraction are described above, wisdom tooth extraction is generally relatively safe. After weighing the pros and cons, it is better to remove them as soon as possible.