While many people like to arrive “fashionably late” to parties, late-arriving wisdom teeth can cause all sorts of oral health trouble. That is why approximately 10 million wisdom teeth are removed each year, according to research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Do you still have your third molars or are they just beginning to grow in? Here are three compelling reasons why you should consider wisdom tooth removal.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are teeth that grow at the back of the gums on either side of the mouth. They are called wisdom teeth because they usually erupt between the ages of 17 and 21, when a person is “wiser” than they were as a child. While most people have four wisdom teeth, it is not uncommon to have three or fewer.
Why Wisdom Teeth Must Be Removed
By the time third molars erupt, there is often not enough room in a person’s mouth to comfortably accommodate them. Many wisdom teeth become impacted, which means they remain stuck under the gums or erupt at odd angles. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause mild to severe pain and various complications. Here are three reasons impacted wisdom teeth are often removed.
Infection
One common problem connected to impacted wisdom teeth is pericoronitis, a localized gum infection. When wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to fully erupt, the surrounding gum tissue can become irritated and infected. Localized gum infections near wisdom teeth can result in persistent pain, swelling, and problems with chewing and/or swallowing.
Cyst Formation
Cysts are small fluid-filled sacks inside that jaw bone that develop as a result of impacted wisdom teeth. If allowed to expand, cysts can cause serious damage to nearby tooth roots and even destroy the adjacent bone. Cysts are often very difficult to treat if your wisdom teeth are not removed in your teenage years.
Damage to Adjacent Teeth
Wisdom teeth can also cause crowding, which makes it difficult to thoroughly brush and floss. As a result, the molars next to wisdom teeth may be more likely impacted by gum disease, tooth decay, and bone loss.
Do Wisdom Teeth Always Need to Be Removed?
If your wisdom teeth erupt in an upright and functional position and do not cause any pain, extraction may not be required. However, many people remove their wisdom teeth before they erupt to prevent any potential problems in the future.
The American Dental Association recommends adolescents between the ages of 16 and 19 schedule a wisdom teeth evaluation. Teeth removed before age 20 have less developed roots and fewer complications. If you fall in this age group, it makes sense to talk with your dentist or oral surgeon now about wisdom tooth removal.
When it comes to removing third molars, it doesn’t pay to be “fashionably late”! Schedule a wisdom tooth removal consultation now to potentially save yourself from pain and complications in the future.
About the Practice
Led by four board-certified oral surgeons, the team at South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery are experts in extracting wisdom teeth. They are always available and on-call 24 hours a day in order to meet patient needs as quickly as possible. To learn more about why it’s important to remove wisdom teeth, visit the South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery website or call 561-743-8311.