Wisdom teeth tend to begin to develop and show on x-rays in our early teens. And that’s the best time to start monitoring their growth to see if your wisdom teeth can stay, or if it’s better for them to be removed. While all wisdom teeth don’t necessarily have to be removed, and some people don’t ever get them, all of us at my dental office in Modesto want our patients to know that if wisdom teeth removal is recommended, it’s for a good reason.
Sometimes, wisdom teeth are growing in just fine and there is no reason to discuss or consider removing them. In most cases, if your wisdom teeth are healthy, completely grown in, positioned correctly so as to not inhibit proper bite or neighboring teeth, and are able to be cleaned properly, they can stay right where they are. However, it’s more common that they will need to be removed, sometimes before they’re fully erupted, or even after.
Even if your wisdom teeth came in without a hitch, you may not necessarily get to keep them. In fact, one of the main reasons wisdom teeth need to come out even after they are fully erupted is that they are difficult to care for. Your wisdom teeth, which are typically the four molars way back in your mouth, are hard to reach with a toothbrush, and even harder to floss. This tends to cause an increase in the chance of gum disease and cavities in those “third molars.” If during your routine checkups with your Modesto dentist any issues are noticed, removal may be recommended to reduce the risk of more cavities and infection later.
Another reason – the most common reason – why wisdom teeth need to be removed is because there isn’t enough room in your mouth. This can often be handled with an easy wisdom teeth removal before any teeth begin to erupt through the gums. However, if the procedure is delayed or avoided, the teeth can get trapped in the bone and become impacted. Once wisdom teeth are impacted, the surgery is a bit more complicated, but still fairly easy.
Keeping up with your regularly scheduled appointments at my Modesto dental office is an important step in monitoring your wisdom teeth and making sure that everything in your mouth is healthy, functioning correctly, and looking great. If you need someone to check out your wisdom teeth, or your smile as a whole, give us a call today.
Serving patients in Modesto, Riverbank, and Oakdale.