i have 4 roots (4 legs?) to my third molar, is it normal?

Question

i just got my tooth extracted and its my upper left wisdom tooth. my dentist had a hard time extracting it which took her an hour to do so because i keep telling her the anaesthesia doesnt seem to have work on me because it was so much painful. she gave me more than what i shoul have but the pain didnt stop. when she got my tooth extracted, she look at the tooth an told me i have an abnormal wisdom tooth for it has 4 roots (or legs?). Does a tooth only have a maximum of 3 roots (or leg?)?

Answer 1

i'm a dentist. 3rd molars are the most varied tooth in the mouth, and they can have any kind of anatomy. Therefore, having a 4-rooted 3rd molar (wisdom tooth), while rare, is completely normal. What I don't understand is, your dentist should've checked the x-ray to see how many roots there are before the extraction. Given the difficulty of this 3rd molar and because it is so far back, she should've referred the case to an experienced oral surgeon instead of putting you through so much discomfort and inconvenience just to make some extra money for herself.

Answer 2

Hi there, I admit I'm not an expert, but the human body has a LOT of little mutations that don't affect actual functionality, especially for wisdom teeth. Some people don't have to get them removed, some do, and some, such as myself, only get two of the four, or even none at all.

That you'd have a fourth root isn't really that bad I wouldn't think, just a random genetic quirk.

Regarding the painkillers not working, I myself suffer from the same problem in that freezing only works to a lesser degree and I have to have a rather large amount of extra pumped in. In your case, you may want to ask your Dentist if any other painkillers are available.

Answer 3

Freak!!!!!! look everyone over here. Snaggle toothed mutant. Persecute!!!!!! You disgust me hhhhhhhhhheave! Now look what you made me do. I have thrown up over my flippers.

Answer 4

it is normal.