Do I need my wisdom teeth removed?

Contrary to popular belief, your wisdom teeth do not necessarily ensure knowledge and maturity. While they can be valuable to the mouth when properly aligned, wisdom teeth are often misaligned, impacted, or erupted and require removal.

Not everyone should have their wisdom teeth removed, but there are several symptoms that precede removal:

• Misaligned wisdom teeth – When the jaw is not large enough, teeth become unable to grow and are then forced to grow in unfamiliar and unsafe ways.
• Impacted wisdom teeth – This occurs when the teeth are covered by soft tissue or jawbone and do not have enough room to fully emerge or grow properly. Impaction can lead to pain, swelling, damage to other teeth and lead to further dental problems.
• Partially erupted wisdom teeth – This type of complication occurs when a small part of the tooth breaks through the gum, allowing bacteria to penetrate the gum and cause infection.

If your pediatric dentist determines any of the above conditions, the wisdom teeth should be removed as soon as possible. Whether these teeth need to be removed can usually be determined between the ages of 16 and 18, because this is when the jawbone has reached its adult size.

Most wisdom teeth removals now take place in an oral and maxillofacial surgeon’s office and are done with the use of medications such as anesthesia, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), or an oral sedative.

Sooner, Not Later
Don’t wait to remove wisdom teeth. Impacted teeth have rarely formed deep, full roots at an early age, which makes the removal easier for the doctor and less painful for the patient.

Plus, an impacted tooth has a more pliable bone in mid-teen years, therefore removing wisdom teeth earlier allows for an easier surgery, a more progressive and less traumatic recovery, and less pain.

Schedule your appointment today!