When Should I Remove My Wisdom Teeth?

Have you noticed a pain in the back of your mouth that feels like it’s just under the gums? This could be one of your wisdom teeth attempting to erupt but not being able to break the skin.

When a mouth is too small to accommodate wisdom teeth, which generally appear between the ages of 17 and 23, they may come in at odd angles or not come in at all.

If this occurs, it can lead to pain or infections, and wisdom teeth removal is the only cure.

Risks of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

When a tooth is unable to breach the gum line (known as erupting), it is called an impacted tooth. An impacted tooth may or may not cause problems, but in most cases it will either hurt or cause and infection.

The impacted tooth is unable to fit in the mouth because it is either too small or the arrangement of other teeth prevent the wisdom teeth from erupting.

As a result, it presses on nearby teeth or stays in the gums, causing tissue irritation.

This irritation can result in an infection, which can lead to many other issues.

Regular Checkups and Detecting Impacted Teeth Early

When you visit your local Houston dentist at least twice per year, they can check for signs that would indicate your wisdom teeth may not come in properly.

An early detection of impacted teeth means that the dentist can preemptively remove the wisdom teeth before they actually cause a problem.

In order to get an early detection, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends getting your teeth checked before the age of 20. Since wisdom teeth can come in as early as 17, the sooner you have them checked, and the more often, the better.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Extracting any tooth is a major surgical procedure, but an impacted tooth requires a little more effort since the tooth may still be below the gum line when it needs to be removed.

Local anesthetics are administered for the procedure and sedation dentistry is a must, as it will lessen the amount of discomfort felt during the removal.

Though it can be unpleasant, an early extraction greatly outweighs treating an infection later.

After the procedure, your mouth will be sore for several days, but the pain and swelling will decrease.

Once the gums have healed, you’ll be free of your wisdom teeth and will have prevented majorly unpleasant pain and infections from cropping up in the future.