Why Having Your Wisdom Teeth Removed Could be a Smart Move
Wisdom teeth usually crop up in your smile between the ages of 17 and 25. While you may initially believe that having extra teeth is a good thing, the can cause future problems. This is especially true if you had to fight for a beautiful smile through braces or other teeth alignment methods.
Our dentists in Columbus, OH track the progress of your wisdom teeth to determine if they will be a problem further down the road. The following sections are problems that can warrant wisdom teeth extraction.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Many people simply do not have room in their mouth for extra teeth. If impacted wisdom teeth are left alone, they will push other teeth out of the way to make room. The result is a mouth crowded with crooked teeth.
are responsible for a host of oral problems. For example, if your wisdom teeth don’t have room to fully erupt from the gum line, infections or cavities can take root. Impacted wisdom teeth can also make it hard for you to floss and brush your teeth, causing food particles to collect around the tooth in question.
Crooked Wisdom Teeth
Another potential problem with wisdom teeth is that they may want to come in sideways, causing your other teeth to shift. With each dentist appointment, we take an x-ray of your teeth to monitor the progress of your teeth. Through these dental x-rays, we can track the movement of your wisdom teeth and predict their future path before they break through your gum line.
Non-erupting Wisdom Teeth
Are your wisdom teeth refusing to come in, or have only partially emerged through the gum line? Wisdom teeth that don’t drop down completely, or at all, can quickly become a health liability. For example, cysts can develop around the area of the non-erupting wisdom tooth.
Pericoronitis, a type of bacterial infection, can also be common among those with partially erupted wisdom teeth. Pericoronitis happens when the gums surrounding the partially erupted wisdom tooth become swollen and infected.
Preventative Action
While it is ultimately your decision to have your wisdom teeth removed, if you identify with any of the above symptoms, we strongly suggest you consider wisdom teeth extraction. Our dentists make sure to prevent any misalignment from occurring by marking the progress of your wisdom teeth coming down.
Schedule an Appointment
If you want to schedule an appointment to have your wisdom teeth extracted, please do not hesitate to call our Columbus dentists at (614) 878-9562. At Gibson Dental, our dental team makes it our mission to help patients maintain a beautiful and healthy smile.
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This blog post has been updated.