The last adult teeth to come into your mouth are called wisdom teeth. You are most likely to have four wisdom teeth at the back of your mouth – two on the bottom and two on the top. Since your gums aren't as soft as they were in your childhood, the eruption of wisdom teeth can be quite painful. That's the reason why many people decide to have their wisdom teeth removed. It is a common procedure, but even after your teeth are removed, you may still experience discomfort and swelling in your mouth. The discomfort is usually severe in the first few days, but you may continue to experience some swelling and pain up to a couple of weeks. Many people have several questions about the removal of wisdom teeth, and one of the most common question asked is, "Can wisdom teeth grow back after removal?"
Can Wisdom Teeth Grow Back After Removal?
The answer:
It is not possible unless you have removed your teeth partially. Once removed completely, a tooth cannot grow again. In case you have had a tooth removed but are now experiencing it growing back, this could be due to a number of reasons.
The explanation:
First, there may be a retained root tip left while your dentist tried to remove it. That piece sometimes "super erupt" from the gums. Another reason is that you may have an extra tooth in the same area that erupts all of a sudden. Another possible situation is when there is no tooth growing back, but it is some type of lesion.
When your dentist remove your wisdom tooth, they ensure that they don't leave any bone fragments because they can emerge from your gums in future. Your wisdom tooth is fixed in sockets made of bone, so its removal may break those boney sockets that can come out of your gum after the extraction. These sockets can erupt a few days after your surgery, or they may take years to work their way out of the gum.
Rare condition:
Sometimes, what you perceive as a wisdom tooth growing back is a new wisdom tooth – some people have more than the usual set of wisdom teeth. Go see your dentist for further evaluation – they may use radiograph of the area for confirmation.
What Someone Has Experienced:
"I got my wisdom teeth extracteda month back, but I have visited my oral surgeon twice already because the piece of bone was sharp and irritating. The surgeon begun by filing the sharp edge off, but it appeared again after a few days of my first visit. This time, he used a pick to get it out, and it seemed to work well. Now, I have another one coming through on the opposite side, but thankfully, it's not that irritating."
Wisdom Teeth FAQ
Can wisdom teeth grow back after removal? It's just one of many popular questions people have about wisdom teeth. Do you want to learn more about why you have these teeth and why they cause so my trouble? Keep reading to find out now!
Why Do People Have Wisdom Teeth?
An adult person can have up to 32 teeth, and the last 4 of these teeth are called wisdom teeth that appear at the back of the mouth. They usually erupt when you're between 17 and 25 years of age, but they sometimes appear quite late. People who have larger jaws don't face that much of problem when their wisdom teeth appear, but that's not always the case because most people have smaller jaws with room to accommodate 28 teeth with ease. You don't usually require wisdom teeth if you have 28 teeth that are healthy.
Do Wisdom Teeth Cause Problems for Everyone?
No, that's not the case. As mentioned already, the pain you experience at the time of eruption is mainly because your jaw cannot accommodate these new teeth. People with larger jaws don't usually experience a lot of discomfort. If the tooth comes through into a good position, it doesn't cause any problem and works quite like other teeth.
What Do You Mean By an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
When your jaw is not large enough, the wisdom tooth won't have enough space to come through. It may even stick against another tooth in front of it. In this case, you will have a wisdom tooth that will come through at an angle. The dentists call it an "impacted" tooth. Since these teeth don't emerge properly, they cannot develop normally. These teeth may cause a lot of pain and even damage other teeth. Sometimes, these teeth don't cause immediate problems but they are not easy to clean, so it is common to experience problems related to gum infections and decay. You will eventually have to remove your impacted wisdom tooth to get rid of the pain.
Why You May Want to Take Out Your Wisdom Teeth?
Dentists in the past were more prone to taking out wisdom teeth, but things are changing today because dentists today don't remove a wisdom tooth if it's not causing serious problems. You may ask your dentist to remove it though in case it is confirmed that your wisdom tooth will not come through into a useful position or your jaw is too small to accommodate the new molar. Your dentist may remove it if they notice any signs of decay.
Will You Experience Any Change to Your Mouth or Face after Removal?
Can wisdom teeth grow back after removal?It's definitely a common question, but another common question is about the changes this removal procedure will make to your face or mouth. It is true that you will experience some swelling after you have your wisdom tooth removed. It will disappear once the area heals completely. There will be no change in your face or mouth; in fact, your mouth may feel more comfortable after the removal of your impacted wisdom teeth. However, you need to understand that removing your teeth is a procedure and it carries some risks as well. For instance, you may develop a dry socket when a blood clot doesn't develop in the socket or end up sustaining a nerve injury. Infection and bleeding are also common but they won't make any difference to your face.