The Wisdom Tooth Myth

It is the most common question I hear from parents of teenagers:

“Dr. Updike, we just spent two years straightening his teeth. Will his wisdom teeth come in and ruin everything?”

The fear is understandable. We visualize wisdom teeth like bulldozers, pushing from the back of the mouth and crushing the front teeth into a crooked mess.

But does the science support this? Not exactly.

The Evidence on “The Bulldozer Effect”

University studies (University of Iowa, University of Washington) have followed patients for decades to answer this question. They compared two groups:

1. People who had their wisdom teeth removed.
2. People who kept their wisdom teeth.

The Result: Both groups saw a small amount of lower front tooth crowding as they aged. The difference between the groups was negligible.

This phenomenon is called Mesial Drift. Throughout our lives, human teeth have a natural tendency to drift forward and inward. This happens whether you have wisdom teeth or not. It is a function of aging, not impaction.

So, Why Remove Them?

If they don’t ruin straight teeth, why do oral surgeons recommend removing them?

While they may not be “orthodontic bulldozers,” they are often periodontal hazards.

• Hygiene Trap: They are located so far back that cleaning them is nearly impossible. This creates a pocket of bacteria that can infect the gums and damage the bone supporting the healthy 2nd molars.
• Cysts & Pathology: Impacted teeth can sometimes develop cysts that weaken the jawbone.
• Pain: Eruption can be painful and lead to pericoronitis (infection of the gum flap).

Our Protocol

At Updike Orthodontics, we take a conservative, evidence-based approach.

1. We Monitor: We take panoramic X-rays annually to track the development of the third molars.
2. We Don’t Panic: We do not automatically extract them just because they are there.
3. The Retention Firewall: The true protection for your straight smile is not extraction; it is Retention.

If you wear your retainers at night, your teeth cannot move, regardless of what your wisdom teeth are doing. The retainer acts as a firewall against Mesial Drift.

The Takeaway: Don’t fear the wisdom teeth. Respect the retainer.