If you’ve heard any buzz about wisdom teeth, it probably isn’t good. Unfortunately, this third set of molars is known for causing problems. Because wisdom teeth are positioned in the far back of your mouth, lack of jaw space is a common obstacle to for these final molars to emerge properly. Without adequate room, wisdom teeth can get impacted, infected or partially erupt, which can threaten your smile comfort and sabotage your oral health. For these reasons, your dentist may suggest that you have your wisdom teeth removed or extracted.
Unlike other teeth that typically erupt in a predictable fashion, wisdom teeth do not always follow the rules. They also don’t erupt until your late teens to early 20’s. This is when your dentist will take a close look at your jaw alignment and wisdom teeth position to see if there is a potential for problems. Wisdom teeth don’t offer much functional benefit, so the risk of leaving them in is often outweighed by the inconvenience of removing them. The three most common reasons that patients need wisdom teeth extraction are the following:
Partial Eruption
It is possible that your wisdom tooth only partially erupts through the gum line. This puts your gum tissues at a significant risk for infection because it makes it easy for food debris and bacteria to get stuck under the gum line. In fact, you may start to experience pain or swelling at the site, which may be an indication you have pericoronitis, or an infection near the wisdom teeth. Your dentist needs to treat this problem sooner rather than later before it compromises your overall health.
Erupted But Crowded
Perhaps your wisdom teeth decided to follow the rules and fully erupt. However, you may be left with an overcrowding problem as a result of the new addition. Crowded teeth can be very difficult to clean, especially in the far back of your mouth. This means that you are now highly susceptible to tooth decay. At this point, extracting the wisdom teeth is your best long-term option.
Impacted
Impaction is one of the more serious and painful consequences of improper wisdom teeth eruption. This occurs when the wisdom tooth gets wedged into the adjacent tooth under the gum line, creating uncomfortable pressure that can lead to tooth damage, shifting teeth, decay and even jaw cysts.
Not all patients need to have their wisdom teeth removed. However, if you are within the majority that does suffer from unruly wisdom teeth, the procedure for tooth extraction is nothing to fear.
At Muccioli Dental, we perform wisdom teeth removal and other types of tooth extractions with maximum patient comfort. It is a simple oral surgery that can be done in our office using sedation dentistry. You will be given detailed post-operative instructions to minimize your pain and accelerate healing. In most cases, you’ll be able to return to your normal activities within a few days. If you are concerned about whether or not your wisdom teeth should be taken out, schedule a consultation with us today. We are committed to protecting your smile health at every stage of life.
Posted on behalf of Dr. Randy Muccioli, Muccioli Dental
Muccioli Dental - Johns Creek Dentist
6300 Hospital Pkwy, Suite 275
Johns Creek, Georgia 30097
Phone: (678) 389-9955