Your wisdom teeth will come in at some point during your dental growth. They are the last set of molars to come in, and most people get them between the ages of 17 and 25. Having these teeth can be very bad for teens.
If you want to know more about wisdom teeth removal or dental care, talk to a dentist in Raleigh, NC. Knowing what they do and what problems they could cause is important when choosing whether to have them taken out.
What are wisdom teeth?
Our ancestors needed wisdom teeth because they had bigger jaws and ate tougher foods. These extra teeth helped break down tough veggies and foods.
But over time, people’s habits have changed, and their jaws have shrunk. There is less room for wisdom teeth to grow because of this change in evolution.
These days, the gums often block the growth of wisdom teeth, so they cannot fully come out. This can cause a number of dental problems, such as pain and infections.
Problems caused by wisdom teeth.
Having your wisdom teeth impacted is more than just painful. They can cause major problems with oral health:
- Too many teeth: As wisdom teeth try to grow, they often bump into other molars. This kind of pressure can move teeth around and undo years of work on your braces.
- Infection: When wisdom teeth partly come in, they make holes in the gums. Food and germs can get stuck in these spaces, which can cause painful gum diseases.
- Cysts: Wisdom teeth that are impacted can form cysts, which are sacs filled with fluid. These lumps can hurt the jawbone, nerves nearby, and other teeth over time.
Not addressing these issues can make them worse, which is why early tracking is so important.
How do you know if your wisdom teeth need removal?
Not every wisdom tooth needs to be taken out. Dentists carefully look at each case to figure out the best way to handle it. Some signs that removal might be needed are:
- Pain or soreness that will not go away in the back of the mouth.
- Your gums should not be red, swollen, or bleeding near your wisdom teeth.
- Infections that keep coming back or damage to nearby teeth.
It is very important to get regular dental checkups and X-rays. These tools help dentists keep an eye on where wisdom teeth are and how they are growing.
Why early removal is often recommended.
Getting their wisdom teeth taken out early has many benefits for kids. When a person is young, the roots of their wisdom teeth are still growing.
This makes the process of release faster and less painful. Also, teens tend to heal faster than adults, which cuts down on the time it takes to get better and the chance of problems.
Dentists can stop problems before they happen by addressing possible problems early on. For instance, a wisdom tooth that is not in the right place might not cause any problems during youth.
But waiting until you are an adult raises the risk of infections, problems with balance, and treatments that are harder to do.
The risks of waiting too long.
There are problems that can happen if you put off getting your wisdom teeth removed. The roots of these teeth get longer and go deeper into the jawbone as people age. This makes it harder to get the tooth pulled out and raises the risk of nerve damage.
Also, adults are more likely to have a painful disease called dry socket after surgery. This happens when the blood clot that was covering the wound breaks off. Adults also tend to take longer to heal and have a higher risk of getting an infection or swelling.
Wisdom teeth can have a big effect on a teen’s oral health, so parents should weigh the risks and benefits before choosing to have them taken out, and they should do so with regular supervision and professional help.