How Removing Wisdom Teeth can Protect Your Mouth

Wisdom teeth are a tricky situation when it comes to oral health. Everyone is born with three sets of molars (though, some may have four sets), and they come in around certain ages.

The first permanent molars come in around 10 to 12 years of age, the second set shows up between 11 and 13 years, and the third set usually comes in between 17 and 23 years.

This third set of molars is considered to be vestigial, as they are not necessary to live or function normally. Perhaps millennia ago, they were more suited to humans with elongated faces, but now they can be a nuisance at times.

When a person’s mouth is too small to accommodate the presence of the third set of molars, they can grow in at odd angles, or never come in at all, posing health risks.

When It’s Time for Wisdom Teeth Removal

If your wisdom teeth do not pose a health risk, then there is no need to remove them.

As long as you are healthy, your wisdom teeth have already come in (pending you are old enough to get them, of course), fit with the rest of your teeth, and can be easily cleaned as part of your daily oral health routine, feel free to leave those teeth right where they are.

However, if they are only partially erupted or they haven’t come in at all, it’s time to see your Houston dentist about wisdom teeth removal.

There are some dentists that recommend removing the wisdom teeth as soon as possible.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you should bring a 16 year old to the dentist and have the teeth taken out right away.

Regular dental checkups, especially ones with x-rays, check for signs that wisdom teeth will pose a problem. These checkups are best performed before the age of 20.

If it looks like the wisdom teeth will need to be removed, the sooner it’s done, the better off you’ll be.

Wisdom teeth are easier to remove when the roots haven’t fully developed, so pull them out early if you can. Younger patients generally have faster healing times, so the discomfort of surgery will pass sooner.

Symptoms that Indicate Wisdom Teeth Need to be Removed

The American Dental Association has a list of symptoms to watch for when it comes to wisdom teeth.

●     Pain at the end of a tooth array

●     Repeating infections of the soft tissue at the ends of teeth arrays

●     Development of cysts

●     Your second set of molars becoming damaged

●     Gum disease around the third molars

●     Severe tooth decay in the molars

Watch for these signs and if you find them, visit your Houston dentist immediately and consider wisdom teeth removal.