Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, usually erupt in our late teens and early twenties. They come in in a variety of ways – most of which require extraction because it could be detrimental to the alignment and health of your other teeth. Luckily, these days, dentists are able to determine if our wisdom teeth will cause problems earlier on – usually before they begin to cause us pain. However, they could become impacted. In this case, the molar gets stuck between the gum tissue and the jawbone and does not fully erupt. Why do we extract wisdom teeth?
When Is Extraction Necessary?
If your wisdom teeth are going to cause damage to your other teeth or your jaw.
If you experience sinus congestion, it could be caused from your third molars.
If they are going to crowd your other teeth or cause alignment issues. Especially if you’ve had braces already or you have implants, partial dentures, bridges or crowns – these third molars could cause damage to them or completely undo what the braces achieved.
How Will I Know?
In many cases, you may not ever know. Your dentist will probably take preventive action when looking at your x-rays if you’re at an appropriate age and your teeth seem as though they may cause future problems. If, in the unlikely event, your teeth are coming in perfectly aligned, you may feel slight pressure and pain when they erupt through your gums – but that doesn’t mean they need to be removed.
If you start to have swollen or inflamed gums near your molars, it’s time to get them removed. You don’t want an infection while your teeth are trying to erupt, the bacteria could infect pockets in your gums and cause cavities.
