The Effect of Wisdom Teeth

The effect of wisdom teeth on the bottom teeth is a topic of debate between dentists. During the 1980's, the wisdom teeth were often blamed for tooth movement after the braces were removed. In 1990, Drs. Amin Ades, Donald Joondeph, Robert Little and Mr. Michael Chapko published a research article (American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics 1990;97:323-35) called A long-term study of the relationship of third molars to changes in the mandibular dental arch. This article studied people who had been out of retainers for an average time of 13 years and concluded that the recommendation for mandibular (bottom) third molar removal with the objective of alieviating or preventing mandibular incisor irregularity (bottom front teeth crowding) may not be justified. As a result, many orthodontists are more conservative in requesting the removal of wisdom teeth to prevent crowding. Recurring infections in the wisdom tooth area, inadequate space on the jaw bone for the wisdom tooth itself, and wisdom teeth that are impacted or stuck under the bone are still valid candidates for removal.