
A few days before the Oscars, Vanity Fair magazine asked Academy Awards host Neil Patrick Harris to name his most treasured possession. Was it his Tony award statuette for best leading actor in a musical? His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? The stethoscope he wore while playing teenaged doctor Doogie Howser on TV? No, as it turns out, the 41-year-old actor’s most treasured possession is… his wisdom teeth. Yes, you read that correctly. “Oddly, I still have my four wisdom teeth,” Harris said. “I refuse to let them go or I’ll lose my wise parts.”
How odd is it for a 41-year-old to have wisdom teeth? Actually, not that odd at all. While it is true that wisdom teeth are often removed, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this. It all depends on whether they are causing problems now, or are likely to cause problems in the future.
The trouble wisdom teeth cause is related to the fact that they are the last molars to come in, and that molars are large in size. By the time wisdom teeth appear between the ages of 17 and 21, there often is not enough room for them in the jaw. Sometimes it’s because you may have inherited a jaw size that’s too small for your tooth size; and generally speaking, the size of the human jaw has evolved to become smaller over time.
If room is lacking, the adjacent molar (that came in earlier) can interfere with the path of eruption — causing the wisdom tooth to come in at an odd angle. The wisdom tooth can hit up against that other tooth, possibly causing pain or damaging the adjacent tooth. This is known as “impaction.” Sometimes the wisdom tooth breaks only partway through the gum tissue, leaving a space beneath the gum line that’s almost impossible to clean, causing infection. A serious oral infection can jeopardize the survival of teeth, and even spread to other parts of the body.
If a wisdom tooth is impacted, will you know it? Not necessarily. A tooth can be impacted without causing pain. But we can see the position of your wisdom teeth on a dental x-ray and help you make an informed decision as to whether they should stay or go. If removal is the best course of action, rest assured that this procedure is completely routine and that your comfort and safety is our highest priority. If there is no great risk to keeping them, as Neil Patrick Harris has done, we can simply continue to monitor their condition at your regular dental checkups. It will be particularly important to make sure you are reaching those teeth with your brush and floss, and that you keep to your schedule of regular professional cleanings at the dental office. All healthy teeth are indeed worth treasuring.
If you would like more information about wisdom teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Wisdom Teeth” and “Removing Wisdom Teeth.”
Comments:
Our Office
Dentist - Bristol
21 Pleasant Street
Bristol, CT 06010
(860) 582-8095
Our Blog
Archive:
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
Tags
- celebrity smiles (62)
- mouthguards (5)
- oral health (17)
- x-rays (2)
- veneers (4)
- porcelain veneers (4)
- aging (1)
- dental implants (10)
- gum surgery (1)
- gap (1)
- orthodontics (6)
- crown (1)
- dentures (1)
- composite resins (1)
- root canal (3)
- tads (1)
- orthodontic treatment (10)
- pregnancy (1)
- dental hygiene (1)
- dental injury (7)
- oral hygiene (15)
- cosmetic dentistry (6)
- thumb sucking (3)
- pediatric dentistry (11)
- braces (5)
- crowns (3)
- retainers (2)
- teething (2)
- bridge (2)
- space maintainer (1)
- bad breath (1)
- nutrition (3)
- oral cancer (2)
- wisdom teeth (4)
- bonding (1)
- sedation dentistry (2)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- oral surgery (2)
- tmj disorders (3)
- tmd (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- age one dental visit (1)
- gum disease (7)
- dry mouth (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- oral sedation (1)
- root canal treatment (6)
- orthognathic surgery (1)
- jaw surgery (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- periodontal disease (3)
- tooth decay (4)
- partial dentures (1)
- pediatric care (1)
- dental injuries (1)
- teeth grinding (1)
- blood pressure (1)
- partial denture (1)
- teeth whitening (2)
- extractions (1)
- shingles (1)
- impacted teeth (1)
- chipped tooth (3)
- gummy smile (1)
- gum recession (3)
- saliva (1)
- diabetes (1)
- bone grafting (1)
- tooth pain (1)
- smoking (1)
- baby teeth (2)
- snoring (1)
- sleep apnea (1)
- retainer (2)
- adult braces (1)
- dental treatment (1)
- crown lengthening (1)
- toothache (1)
- chipped teeth (1)
- cosmetic gum surgery (1)
- laser dentistry (1)
- apicoectomy (1)
- root resorption (1)
- dental implant (2)
- loose tooth (1)
- tooth replacement (1)
- lingual braces (1)
- topical fluoride (1)
- facial pain (1)
- cleft lip (1)
- cleft palate (1)