Your dental hygiene is very important. At some point in your young adult life, it seems like everyone around you is getting their wisdom teeth out. Wisdom teeth are the very last teeth to erupt through your gums typically when you are a young adult.
Many people who aren’t experiencing any pain from their wisdom teeth don’t see the benefits of removing them, but this doesn’t mean they are in the clear. It is important to have your mouth X-rayed regularly to check the growth progress of these troublesome molars. Crooked or partially emerged wisdom teeth can lead to pain, infections, and even disease. But at the same time, there are the lucky few out there whose wisdom teeth grow in and fit in their mouths perfectly—so do they really need to be removed?
Consult a Professional
As with any surgery, you should speak to your preferred dental care professional to determine if you need to have your wisdom teeth removed or not. However, it is also important to be comfortable with your dental caretaker if you don’t have a reliable one already. Here are some things to consider when researching oral care experts:
- The parts of dental hygiene they work with
- Do you need a specialist (for example, an orthodontist or a periodontist)?
- The age range this office caters to
- Dental care can vary greatly depending on the age of the patient. Adult dentistry varies greatly from children’s dentistry.
Those are just the beginning, and you can read more tips on selecting a professional dental caretaker here. To feel comfortable with your surgeon, it usually helps to know that they have a good reputation. So be sure to find a renowned dentist that you can trust to take care of your teeth.
What Exactly Goes Wrong with Wisdom Teeth?
There are a variety of issues that naturally come with wisdom teeth. Even if someone displays no external signs of pain or tooth growth problems, there can still be something wrong. Wisdom teeth molars could be impacted below the surface of your gums, which means that they aren’t able to break into your mouth. A lot of the time, peoples’ jaws simply are not big enough to fit the extra molars comfortably, and this can cause overcrowding. If your wisdom teeth are too squished, they can cause a lot of damage to their neighboring teeth by pressing too hard against them as they grow in.
Age definitely plays a role in wisdom teeth removal—teeth removed before the age of 20 tend to have fewer complications. X-rays can reveal potential problems when wisdom teeth begin to grow in. These molars are problematic because, like previously mentioned, they can cause damage to other teeth or even create bite problems. Not to mention possible jaw damage, gum problems and cavities, and even sinus issues.
Wisdom teeth that are growing in wrong can damage or begin to undo expensive dental work that has already been done on your mouth, and nobody wants to deal with those repercussions. Patients work very hard to keep their mouth in order and ensure that it stays that way. You can check out this article for alternative ways to add to your smile.
Benefits of Wisdom Teeth Removal
To recap, the top issues that come with problematic wisdom teeth but can be easily avoided by simply removing the molars:
Overcrowding
Since your wisdom teeth are the last molars to join the party, they are erupting into an already busy space.
Damage to Neighboring Teeth
Who wants this possible cause of bone loss and cavities? No one.
Infection
If your wisdom teeth have partially erupted but there is still some gum covering them up, food can get caught under it and cause infections.
If you are happy and comfortable with your dentist, it is easy to accept that wisdom teeth removal surgery is a routine procedure and almost a rite of passage for young adults. The benefits of the procedure make it worthwhile for many patients.