Having Your Wisdom Teeth Removed Can Solve Some Issues and Prevent Others
Although our cavemen predecessors may have found wisdom teeth to be a blessing, most modern individuals find them to be a severe disadvantage. To avoid or treat the top four wisdom tooth issues, up to 85% of Americans eventually have their wisdom teeth pulled. Read on to learn more and then contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to make an appointment for a dental cleaning and exam.
Pain
Wisdom teeth have a high potential for discomfort. First of all, they frequently produce excruciating aches when they emerge through the gums. Second, wisdom teeth increase the risk of dental discomfort from cavities and gum disease since they are so difficult to keep clean.
Impaction
Wisdom teeth are said to as impacted when they do not fully emerge. Like they do around normal teeth, the gum tissues around an impacted wisdom tooth won’t form tidy small gum pockets. Instead, there could be large flaps or cracks in the gums that might act as entrances for germs to enter the jaw’s deep tissues. This greatly increases the risk of infection for the tissues surrounding the impacted wisdom teeth. Additionally, adjacent nerves and teeth may suffer harm.
Bite Issues
In reality, the mouth of the typical human can only accommodate 28 teeth. When four additional wisdom teeth try to cram themselves into the mouth, it can cause other teeth to shift out of place and create an uncomfortable bite. In the long run, a bad bite can cause jaw pain and worsen the wear on your teeth if they are out of alignment.
Cosmetic Issues
Your smile will be hampered by the overcrowding that wisdom teeth often produce. If you’ve already had braces to straighten your teeth, this issue can be quite unpleasant. You will have to decide between putting up with overnight discomfort while your retainers work to hold the teeth back or just letting them go out of alignment.
Does it make sense to extract?
Many people choose to have their wisdom teeth removed as a prophylactic step because of the possibility of the aforementioned issues. The teeth cannot alter your bite, crooked your straight teeth, create discomfort or illness if they are not permitted to grow at all.
Unerupted teeth must be extracted through the opening of the gums, which increases the difficulty and cost of the procedure. The optimal time to have your wisdom teeth removed is typically while you’re a teenager or young adult, before the roots of your teeth have had a chance to fully develop.
Waiting until your wisdom teeth become problematic before having them removed is generally the best course of action if you choose a less intrusive approach to your dental treatment. If you select this course of action, keep in mind that in order to reduce the negative effects of the teeth on your dental health, you must act quickly at the first symptom of pain or crowding.
