The Importance of Wisdom Teeth Removal
As the jawbone grows and matures, wisdom teeth develop and emerge. Once used by our ancestors to grind raw plants, nuts, and tough meats, these teeth became unnecessary due to modern eating utensils and food prep. Along with this evolution, humans’ jaws have become smaller than our ancestors, often leading to a lack of space for these back molars to erupt properly.
Continue reading for more information regarding wisdom teeth and removal.
What Happens When there is Not Enough Room?
Impaction occurs when a wisdom tooth is trapped within the jawbone or gums and cannot fully come through or it grows through at an angle. This can cause issues including pain, swelling, infection, affect neighboring teeth, and gum disease.
Crowding and misalignment can impact adjacent teeth, pushing them and causing them to shift in your mouth. This pressure can also cause damage and contribute to bone loss and cavities.
Being in the back of the mouth also makes these molars difficult to clean, which leads to an increased risk of cavities and gum disease. Partially erupted teeth can create pockets that allow bacteria to accumulate leading to infection. In rare cases, fluid-filled sacs or tumors can form around impacted wisdom teeth damaging the jawbone and nerves. Upper wisdom teeth also may affect the sinuses leading to issues such as pain and pressure.
Signs for Removal
Not everyone experiences symptoms from wisdom teeth, and some may not get any wisdom teeth at all. However, here are the signs that your wisdom teeth are having a negative effect on your health and may need to be removed.
- Pain or swelling in the back of the mouth is the most common indication for removal.
- Difficulty opening the jaw or chewing can stem from this pain and swelling as well.
- Persistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste in the mouth can be caused by trapped food particles and bacteria.
- You may also see a visible change in the alignment of other teeth.
It is important to talk to your dentist or orthodontist if you are experiencing these symptoms or have any concerns.
Benefits of Early Intervention
Through X-rays your dentist may be able to predict the effect wisdom teeth will have on your mouth and oral health. If they see potential issues, early intervention offers several advantages to avoid future complications.
Removing these back molars will prevent crowding and misalignment, stopping future pain and orthodontic issues. It can also reduce the risk of infection and gum disease.
Younger patients also generally experience a faster and smoother recovery. Additionally, addressing any issues early can prevent the need for more complex and expensive treatments later on.
If you and your dentist decide wisdom teeth removal is the best route for your oral health, they will discuss extraction with you and what you can expect for pre- and post-op.
At Lakewalk Surgery Center, we partner with Northern Oral Surgery and Implant Center and Blue Water Oral and Facial Surgery – both practices experts in wisdom teeth removal.