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DO YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR WISDOM TEETH PULLED?

Wisdom Teeth are located at the back of your mouth and usually start to develop between the ages of 16 to 25. The third set of molars was useful thousands of years ago as our ancestors had larger jaws and larger skulls that held more teeth. Unfortunately, these days, wisdom teeth do not come in or develop properly. If they do erupt without incident, wisdom teeth are hard to brush and floss because they are just too difficult to reach making your wisdom teeth prone to tooth decay and cavities.

Your dentist recommends wisdom teeth removal between the ages of 16 to 25 as younger people will heal faster. Schedule an appointment with your dentist who will be able to determine how your wisdom teeth are coming along and how they are developing. Depending on the situation, removal may be recommended even if pain is not present. Your dentist will discuss the benefits and the risks before a decision about your wisdom teeth is made.

During your appointment, your dentist will go over the procedure with you suggesting alternative methods. If you or a family member suffers from dental phobia, your dentist will discuss sedation methods including conscious sedation and nitrous oxide.

According to the American Dental Association, wisdom teeth are usually not fully developed until the age of 21 or 22 making wisdom tooth extraction straightforward. If the wisdom teeth have not erupted, complications are minimal.

After the age of 25, wisdom teeth removal becomes more difficult with the risk of complications doubled. Once the roots of your wisdom teeth have fully formed, the bone that anchors your wisdom teeth will become much harder and denser with fully developed nerve and root systems.  

Wisdom teeth that are misaligned can push against each other and grow towards the back of your mouth. Some wisdom teeth can even grow horizontally or towards your jawbone.

You may need your wisdom teeth pulled if you have an infection or tooth damage. If bone damage is present or you have developed cysts around your wisdom teeth, it may be time to have them removed. Impacted wisdom teeth, the ones that have not erupted yet, could cause inflammation, swelling, discomfort, and infections.

Most dentists and oral surgeons agree that every case is different, and if you suspect you may be having problems with your impacted or erupted wisdom teeth, schedule an appointment with your dentist today. 


August 01, 2014 | Uncategorized Back to Blog


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