Wisdom Teeth Removal: When Is It Necessary?

Wisdom teeth are the odd one out when it comes to teeth, as they only really come in during the late teens to early adulthood. You may think that their removal is not that necessary after the teeth’s eruption, but you can avoid quite a few problems by doing so. If you are wondering whether wisdom teeth extraction is necessary, here is some information to help you stay informed and make the right decision.

Not everyone is born with a full set of teeth, including wisdom teeth; in fact, wisdom teeth are most often the ones missing.

In terms of knowing when there is a problem with the wisdom teeth, this typically takes the form of upper or lower jaw pain as the first sign, alongside a feeling of pressure. This can be further compounded by sensitive, swollen, and inflamed gum tissue around the site of the wisdom teeth eruption. However, sometimes there can be no pain at all; many people fall into this category. You should still get everything checked out by your dentist, just to make sure.

When it comes to deciding the necessity of wisdom teeth extraction, it is often best to get them removed if they are impacted. Usually, teeth that come in normally and do not cause any pain are fine to leave as is. However, even with normal wisdom teeth, there can be problems due to their position in the mouth and their difficulty to clean properly. If you do decide to keep them, then make sure to thoroughly brush and floss and keep up regular appointments with your dentist.

If a wisdom tooth or teeth are impacted, then they are partially or completely buried in the gum or jaw bone; this makes them more susceptible to disease and issues. As they cannot be cleaned properly, they can decay and cause gum disease and even cysts or tumours if it is bad enough.

If you do get them removed, you should be aware of potential side effects. This naturally includes pain but also dry sockets, subperiosteal abscesses (pus pockets from bone and tissue debris trapped between the socket and the tissue), and bacterial infections; the last side effect is rare, however, occurring in less than 6% of cases.

There is really no way to avoid wisdom teeth issues, aside from thorough oral hygiene and regular dentist visits. In the face of all the potential issues, it is often just better to get them removed.

At Hillsborough Dental Centre, we know it is essential to choose the right dentist so you can keep your smile fresh and bright. Our team is compassionate and strives to provide the highest quality of dentistry in a comfortable, friendly, and fun environment. We serve the Scarborough community and provide a variety of services to keep your teeth looking great and your smile looking perfect! Explore more information about our services and book your future appointment through our website or find out more by calling 416-289-7373.