Your teeth help you chew, talk, and smile every day, but there are actually four teeth that may cause more harm than good. They are called wisdom teeth, but that name is misleading. Wisdom teeth have the potential to cause significant pain, discomfort, and damage inside of your mouth if they aren’t removed in a timely manner.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are four molars located in the top and bottom back corners of the mouth. As the third and final set of molars to grow in, they usually don’t appear until your late teens or early twenties. Some people are lucky enough to have their wisdom teeth grow in without incident, but the majority of teens and adults must have them removed to prevent problems.
What Damage Can Wisdom Teeth Cause?
Wisdom teeth can wreak havoc in the mouth without even fully growing in! Impacted wisdom teeth form when the molars do not fully erupt into the mouth, often because they are blocked by other teeth. This can cause extensive pain, infection, and decay in the mouth. Other people suffer the negative impacts of wisdom teeth when they fully grow into the mouth and ultimately crowd and damage nearby teeth. The average mouth simply isn’t large enough to comfortably welcome wisdom teeth!
Signs It’s Time For Wisdom Teeth Removal
If you receive regular dental checkups every six months, your dentist will use periodic X-rays to check the status of your wisdom teeth. Most dentists suggest wisdom teeth removal before a problem even forms in order to eliminate the potential of a more painful and complex procedure down the road. Preemptive removal is also a wise idea since wisdom teeth are easier to extract before their roots have fully developed. If you start to experience pain in your jaw, discomfort in the back of your mouth, or frequent infections, your symptoms could indicate that your wisdom teeth need to be removed before more damage occurs.
Fortunately, wisdom teeth removal can be a simple and stress-free process when you trust Dr. Seider and Dr. Stevens at Broward Oral Surgery Associates in Hollywood and Pembroke Pines, Florida. Call (954) 241-3143 to make your appointment with the area’s best Maxillofacial Surgeons today.