Wisdom Teeth: Is It Wise To Keep Them?
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to erupt in your mouth and are the teeth least needed for good oral health.
Sometimes referred to as the “third set of molars”, anthropologists suspect that ancient people used wisdom teeth to chew their very tough foods (roots, meats, nuts, etc.). Some conclude that as people’s diets and eating methods modernized, wisdom teeth became less necessary. Over time, the human jaw became smaller, leaving less room for wisdom teeth.
Most people have four wisdom teeth that usually erupt through the gums in their late teens or early twenties. Sometimes these teeth remain trapped in the jawbone under the gums because there is insufficient room for them to erupt.
When wisdom teeth come in, they often come in sideways or only partially emerge, get trapped inside the gums, or come up beneath other teeth. All of these issues can lead to pain, damage, and costly repair to your other teeth.
Wisdom teeth can cause gum disease, crowding or other damage to adjacent teeth, decay (due to the inability of your toothbrush to keep the area clean), and bone destroying cysts. Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of problem wisdom teeth. Whether you have obvious symptoms or not, it is important to diagnose existing or potential problems caused by your wisdom teeth.
What’s The Wisdom Teeth Treatment Like?
Because everyone’s wisdom teeth grow differently, the removal process can vary. We’ll tailor our treatment to your specific situation. On the day of your procedure, we’ll determine the appropriate anesthetic and then, once applied, remove your wisdom teeth. The extraction does not take long and neither should your recovery if you follow the care techniques we share with you.