Third molars, or more commonly known as wisdom teeth, usually erupt throughout our late teens and early twenties. Typically, these molars come in misaligned, and could pose many risks to your other teeth and the overall health of your mouth. However, if they do come in properly aligned and positioned, you’re in luck – they can actually be a valuable asset! You may be wondering, “when should I get my wisdom teeth removed?” Visiting your dentist for an x-ray will be able to tell you if your third molars could endanger your other teeth.
How Do I Know If My Wisdom Teeth Are Aligned?
Throughout the years of visiting your dentist, you may remember them taking periodic x-ray scans. Usually, these are to check for the presence of third molars and to monitor their alignment to see if they need to be removed. If you’re really lucky – you won’t even have wisdom teeth! Although, that’s extremely rare.
How Are They Removed?
If your molars have already erupted, the procedure is extremely simple and completed right in your dentist’s office! Typically, a local anesthetic is used so you won’t feel pain throughout the extraction. But, removing erupted teeth is just as easy as removing any of your other teeth.
Unfortunately, sometimes the molars can get “trapped” (also known as impacted) between your gum tissue and your jawbone. In these cases, your dentist has to make an incision in your gum tissue in order to remove your teeth. It’s still a pain-free extraction, but you’ll most likely be sedated.
Afterwards, you’ll notice swelling in your cheeks and jaw line – this is completely normal. Your dentist will give you medication to control your pain level, and it’s recommended to keep cold packs on the inflammation so it’ll go down.
