What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the third molars in the back of your mouth. They are the final teeth that appear at the end of each row, on all four corners (upper & lower). Wisdom teeth commonly grow in your late teens to your early twenties but do not grow in every person. In some cases, one or two wisdom teeth may grow in rather than all four. Wisdom teeth growth can easily be spotted at a dental checkup with a family dentistry.
If grown completely, being both straight and healthy, correctly positioned wisdom teeth are valuable. The additional molars give your mouth extra assistance for chewing down solid foods, taking less tension from the more visible teeth.
However, more than not, your family dentist will recommend removing your wisdom teeth due to your oral condition. In most cases, your back molars may grow in misaligned, or may not have enough space to develop fully. Crooked wisdom teeth or impacted molars can cause several symptoms that will lead you to wisdom tooth extraction.
When Should You Get Your Wisdom Teeth Extracted?
In many situations, you will know when it is time to remove your wisdom teeth due to painful symptoms. However, there are times when pain may temporarily arise during the growth but will come to a halt once the wisdom tooth or wisdom teeth have fully grown. It would be best if you discussed the matter with a thousand oaks dentist or your local dentist at a scheduled dental appointment.
A trusted dental office will take in-depth x-rays to review the condition of your molars. Wisdom teeth may take some time to come in. Periodic dental checkups help to evaluate the growth processes.
“Could my wisdom teeth be causing headaches?” – Symptoms of needing to remove wisdom teeth
- Infection through the eruption of the tooth (teeth) creating an opening that collects bacteria
- Swelling
- Jaw stiffness
- Misaligned teeth
- Consistent headaches
- Red, sore gums
- Crowding of nearby teeth
- Cysts
- Tumors
- Tooth decay
Many people resort to extracting wisdom teeth for the possibility of misaligning the rest of them. As mentioned above, crowding of nearby teeth can damage the appearance of your smile by pushing your teeth forward. The longer it takes to remove unruly wisdom teeth, the more damage is done, further requiring the support of cosmetic dentistry. Avoid supplementary cosmetic dentistry costs of Invisalign, dental veneers, dental crowns, and more, by scheduling a dental checkup with a thousand oaks dentist near you.
Check out the Newbury Dental Group website to schedule a dental checkup and learn if you have correctly positioned wisdom teeth or if you need some wisdom teeth removal prep.