Wisdom teeth is common for many teens and young adults. While it is a common procedure, is it always necessary? Each person and case is unique and should be reviewed on an individual basis. Here are a few reasons removing wisdom teeth may be beneficial to your dental health.
We recommend removing wisdom teeth when they begin to cause gum problems. Impacted wisdom teeth can result in pain and swelling. If wisdom teeth have only partially broken through the jaw and tissues they are especially vulnerable to infections and cysts within the jaw bone and gum tissue.
In addition to crowding other teeth, the pockets they create can fill with bacteria and food causing damage to surrounding teeth. This can cause cavities within the root system and tooth extraction will likely be required.
Wisdom tooth removal may also be recommended if their position hinders chewing or jaw function. In some cases they can cause pain and damage to the soft tissues inside the mouth or cause discomfort while chewing.
Tooth alignment can also be affected as wisdom teeth come in. They can press against other teeth and consequently undo the work of braces, bridges, crowns, partial dentures and other types of dental work.
While there are a variety of reasons wisdom tooth removal may be beneficial, they may not have to be extracted if they are healthy, have fully broken through, are functioning properly and are not crowding other teeth.
If you are experiencing pain and discomfort from wisdom teeth, call our Cleveland oral surgeon to schedule an appointment.