Unlike other teeth, wisdom teeth do not show up until you are around age 20. Some people get them as early as age 17, while other people may not see them erupt until age 25. In either case, these third molars can cause troubling issues cosmetically and for your oral health. Your dentist will examine you and take X-rays to determine whether it makes sense to remove these teeth. In many cases, it is good to take them out while people are in their teenage years rather than waiting much longer.
A dentist will remove wisdom teeth. For patients whose teeth are impacted, the dentist may do less invasive work. But if the teeth have not cut through the gums, a more extensive surgery may be necessary. The dentist may use either local or general anesthesia to numb the patient.
Then the dentist will make an incision in the gums. After removing any bone blocking the tooth, the dentist will break it into pieces. This makes it more convenient to take out the tooth. After doing this, the dentist cleans the area and then stitches the incision wound.
Because there is little space in the mouth for wisdom teeth, these molars can cause pain when they come in. Patients may feel discomfort in the jaw or gums. The gums may also become irritated and inflamed. Waiting to visit the dentist for extraction will only result in further pain. The sooner a dentist can remove the teeth, the sooner the patient can feel more at ease.
As people age, the jawbone begins to harden. Bones in a teenager are much softer than bones in an older patient’s jaw. This makes the work much less extensive for a dentist working on a teenager’s wisdom teeth extraction. The surgery will not be as complicated or long in this case. As a result, there could be less bleeding and swelling.
Aside from feeling intense pain, a person with impacted wisdom teeth could face serious oral health issues. Because wisdom teeth often grow in at odd angles and are hard to reach, it is difficult to brush and floss them. This can lead to cavities, infections, and gum disease. These molars can also interfere with other teeth, causing damage. The roots of a wisdom tooth can even become tangled with other teeth, causing further issues. It may make more sense to extract these molars before such problems ever show up.
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Do not let the process of extracting a wisdom tooth scare you. This procedure can benefit the way you look and feel. Your dentist will examine you and recommend when to remove these teeth. Doing so in your teenage years is often a good idea to stay away from serious health issues. Make an appointment with your dentist now to start discussing the matter.
Request an appointment or call Mission Family Dental at 805-205-9278 for an appointment in our San Luis Obispo office.
If you are thinking about wisdom teeth extraction, now might be the right time for this procedure. These third molars can create problems in the mouth, both cosmetically and for your health. It is often more sensible to take out the teeth before they ever emerge. Doing so can help you avoid many of the…
It is common to remove wisdom teeth for cosmetic and health reasons. A dentist has the knowledge and training to perform this procedure and determine whether you are a good candidate. These teeth usually come in by the time you reach your early 20s. Usually, you will have four of these teeth — two on…
There are numerous reasons why dental professionals recommend wisdom teeth extraction, and one is to prevent teeth misalignment. Wisdom teeth are the third molars located in the lower and upper parts of the jaw, behind the other molars on both sides. The teeth generally appear years after the other permanent teeth have come up. In…