Four Reasons Why You Might Want to Remove Your Wisdom Teeth

Did you know that wisdom teeth got their name because they often make their grand entrance between the ages of 17 and 21 in most healthy adults? This is right around the time when most people transition from youth to adult and have had the ability to gain some “wisdom”. Besides highlighting the age of a new adult, these third upper and lower molars can bring some unpleasant moments with them.

Wisdom teeth appear like any other tooth in the mouth and can theoretically thrive for the entire lifespan of a person. However, this is certainly not always the case. For the majority of people, wisdom teeth can be quite disruptive. This is why we see so many patients opting for the removal of these nonessential molars. We took the initiative of putting together a list of the top four reasons why you might want to remove your wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth come in quite late in comparison to all other teeth. By the time that they are ready to break through, the other teeth have already chosen their places of preference. We see many patients who simply do not have the space in their mouths for these late blooming molars. This often results in the wisdom teeth getting impacted and not breaking through the gums. For other individuals, the molars come through but push the other teeth together which can cause crooked and cluttered smiles. Both of these instances can be prevented by removing the wisdom teeth before they break through.

Believe it or not, some wisdom teeth only break through the gums partway. This can result in a flap of tissue to grow over them. As if that did not sound painful enough, food particles can also get stuck under such said flap. This can cause redness, swelling, and pain which can quickly evolve into an infection. If you are experiencing this with your wisdom teeth, please do not wait to get dental assistance. Contact our office right away before your situation worsens.

Wisdom teeth can be tricky and stubborn all in one package. These molars have the tendency to do things their own way and that can translate into breaking through in the wrong angle. We have seen wisdom teeth break through with the top of the tooth facing forward, backward, or either side. These abnormal ways of growing can cause issues such as infections, cysts, crowded teeth, and pain. All of these are avoidable by extracting the wisdom tooth causing the issues.

Wisdom teeth grow in the very back of the mouth. It is quite challenging to reach that area and properly clean out these sneaky molars. The risks of cavities and gum disease increases because these teeth are so hard to reach with toothbrushes and dental floss. If you are consistent with your bi-annual dental cleanings, this might not pose a problem for you. However, if you are not able to make those scheduled visits then it is quite likely that cavities and gum disease will become an issue. In this case, removing the wisdom teeth is the best option.

It is not impossible to have wisdom teeth without any altercations. Having said that, it is more likely to experience difficulties from wisdom teeth than it is to have a smooth ride with them. We always recommend that our patients begin to check their wisdom teeth early on before they come out. We would ideally monitor their progress when our patients are between the ages of 16 and 19 years old. This can be done through x-rays and will provide us with ample time to come up with a strategy that will avoid any issues that wisdom teeth can cause.

We understand that not everyone is able to monitor their wisdom teeth so early on. We are also able to help you if your teeth are already out or just beginning to break through. If you are uncertain as to the status of your wisdom teeth and what steps you should be taking, please call our office to book an appointment with our team. We are here to help you!