How to Know When It’s Time For Those WIsdom Teeth to Come Out
Not everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed, contrary to popular myths. Although, many people do end up needing them removed as we just don’t need them anymore thanks to our evolution into modern humans who no longer hunt and gather like our ancestors and whose diets consist of much less chewing of tough meats.
But when it comes to wisdom teeth removal, keeping an eye on things is important as it’s always easier to remove the teeth before they become impacted and surgery becomes more complicated and recovery therefore becomes a little more challenging. In many cases, you won’t see any noticeable signs, but we will talk about a few to look out for if you are being vigilant about things.
Most of us only have room in our jaw for 28 teeth. We have 16 teeth on the top and 16 on the bottom. Most people have four wisdom teeth in total: Two on top and two on the bottom. When there’s not enough room in the jaw to accommodate more teeth, wisdom teeth may become impacted and cause misalignment. Minor discomfort may not be unpleasant enough for you to seek medical attention, but ongoing discomfort or soreness indicates you should contact your dentist immediately. Wisdom teeth removal may be the only way to alleviate the discomfort.
A wisdom tooth that can’t fully erupt may only partially erupt and the flap of gum that covers it can cause food to get stuck in it. This area is far back in the mouth in a hard to reach place with your floss and brush so it often gets missed making infection much more likely to occur back here. This can lead to a whole host of problems at the site of these wisdom teeth. There’s a good chance you won’t feel your wisdom teeth coming in at all. When you visit your dentist, especially as you enter your late teens or early-20s, be sure your dentist performs an X-ray to check on the status of your wisdom teeth. When it looks like your wisdom teeth could become impacted and cause problems later on, your dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon like us. We will take care of all of your wisdom teeth needs! If your dentist has referred you, we look forward to meeting you and if you haven’t already, please call our office (469) 264-8921 at to schedule your appointment!
