Posted on April 13, 2023
Wisdom teeth are late-stage molars that generally appear when a person is in their teens or early adulthood. It has become common practice to remove these teeth as they often do not have enough room or they become impacted. In extreme cases, wisdom teeth have even been recorded to have interfered with jaw alignment and contributed to sinus problems.
But for those people who have wisdom teeth without any of these complications, they may wonder whether they really need to get them removed at all.
When you do not need to remove wisdom teeth
The removal of wisdom teeth isn't always necessary. When the following conditions are met, this common oral surgery may be avoided:
- The wisdom teeth are healthy.
- The wisdom teeth have erupted fully.
- They are correctly positioned and do not interfere with your bite.
- You can reach them when you brush and floss your teeth.
When should wisdom teeth be removed?
Your dentist will recommend that your wisdom teeth be removed if they are affecting the rest of your teeth. This can happen when they don't have enough space and come in at odd angles. Other reasons you might need to have wisdom teeth removed include:
- They stay below the gums, which can lead to infection or even damage the roots of other teeth.
- They only erupt partially, which makes them hard to clean and prone to infection.
- They erupt fully but grow at an angle, causing damage and possible damage to other teeth.
At what point should wisdom teeth be removed?
In most cases, pain is the first telltale sign that it is time to remove wisdom teeth. Other symptoms could be recurring infection in the soft tissue, damage to neighbouring teeth, and gum disease.
Ideally, if you are going to have wisdom teeth removed, it should be as a teen or young adult when the teeth are still healthy. These teeth are easier to remove as a young person as the jaw will heal more quickly.
What to expect during wisdom tooth removal
In most cases, wisdom tooth removal is done by an oral surgeon while the patient is either fully asleep or in a twilight sleep under an anesthetic. The area surrounding the teeth is also frozen so that the patient may feel pressure but not pain during the procedure.
Following the surgery, the patient is given pain medication and antibiotics to prevent infection. Usually, after a few days of rest and soft foods, they can return to normal activities.
Contact Creekview Dental today
While there are some cases where wisdom tooth removal is not necessary, in most cases, it is recommended to protect the patient's oral health. If you or your child is experiencing issues with wisdom teeth, it is important to have them examined by a dentist who can make a recommendation.
Contact us today to make an appointment.