Do I Need my Wisdom Teeth Extracted?
There are many reasons as to why your dental professional may recommend extracting your wisdom teeth. In most cases, wisdom teeth are removed before they start growing past the gum line. After a series of x-rays, your dentist can tell how your teeth will grow in and decide whether or not it’s a good idea to have them removed.
Wisdom teeth typically start growing in much later than all of your other adult teeth. Wisdom teeth will start poking at your gums lines anywhere between 17-25 years of age. In most cases, your dentist will recommend having them removed if they’re one of the following reasons.
- Your mouth is too small: Sometimes a patient’s mouth (your jawbone) just has no space for an extra set of molars to grow in. If they are too large for the space allotted by your mouth, and they aren’t removed, it can cause some severe growing pains and sores. They will also push your natural teeth out of the way, causing them to look crooked over time.
- You’re prone to cavities: If you are a patient who is prone to cavities (in most cases this is simply because of genetics), then it is recommended to have your wisdom teeth removed. These teeth, because they are all the way in the back, are the hardest teeth to clean. If your wisdom teeth get cavities or gum disease is formed in that area, it will be a harder to reverse these issues as well as keeping them away. Removing these teeth will remove these changes.
- They don’t grow in straight: One of the biggest reasons wisdom teeth are removed is because they grow in crooked, backward, or inwards towards your other teeth. And for those patients who’ve spent thousands on orthodontics, this is not an ideal situation. Having your wisdom teeth removed can save your teeth from becoming crooked over-time.
- They’re impacted: Wisdom teeth are so far back in your jawbone that sometimes they can be ‘trapped’ in your mouth or gums and not grow in at all. These cases can be extremely painful, and the other way to alleviate that pain is to remove the wisdom teeth.
Post-Surgery Tips
Because wisdom teeth are usually removed before they are even grown in, the procedure will usually be required to be a surgical one. During surgery, your dentist will be likely lightly sedate you to ensure you feel no pain during this procedure. Because of the sedation, it is recommended to have a family member or friend there to drive you home after the procedure.
- The healing process is different for everyone; it is usually expected to formally heal within a few days, however, could take a week or so to heal fully.
- Use an ice-pack on your jaw where the procedure took place to numb out the soreness you may feel after the surgery.
- Avoid hard or extremely chewy foods to avoid disrupting the surgery site. This includes avoiding drinking from a straw or any use of tobacco products as well as it may loosen blood clots and slow down the healing process.
Interested in talking to Dr. Baer and his team at Baer Dental Designs about Tooth Extractions? Get more information on our services here.
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