5 Reasons to remove your Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth anywhere between the ages of 17-25 years. Not everyone has to have their wisdom tooth removed but some people do. In Summit Dental Clinic we recommend that you proactively remove your wisdom teeth before complications arise such as-

-PAIN and SWELLING- Most people tend to avoid getting their wisdom teeth looked at until they have pain- all day, everyday. Pain and swelling maybe localised to the region of the tooth or could even be referred to the temple, behind the ears and even down the side of the neck. There may be tenderness and redness around the wisdom tooth which is a sign of infection. These symptoms do not resolve and OTC medicines will only give temporary relief. At this point - you have to visit your dentist and will require removal of the affected tooth.

IMPACTION- One of the most common issues with wisdom teeth is that they have no space to erupt as since they are lost tooth to come out and can become impacted/ stuck within the bone or next to the neighbouring teeth. Also they may partially erupt due to the lack of space. Such teeth are difficult to brush and floss and most often end up being infected/ decayed. In some cases they also cause irreversible damage to the neighbouring teeth.

CYSTS around WISDOM TEETH- While all teeth have natural ‘developmental’ cysts around them, sometimes the cysts can become too large or infected resulting in bone damage. Our specialists will be able to assess the cysts and show you what is typical and what is irregular.

CROWDED TEETH- A lack of space/ impaction can cause a chain reaction and create a problem in the alignment of your teeth. Even though they are at the back of your mouth, wisdom teeth can exert enough pressure to the neighbouring teeth resulting in pushing them forward. This leads in pressure all the way up to the front of your smile. When this situation is ignored, it can result in crowding/ overlapping of your front teeth. In situations where you would have worn braces to correct your alignment, such pressure from wisdom teeth can cause mal-alignment and maybe even require you to undergo orthodontic treatment again to re-align your teeth.

PERIODONTAL / GUM DISEASE- Even your wisdom teeth can start to develop gingivitis or gum disease. Periodontal infections of the wisdom tooth can also affect the next tooth causing bone loss in an otherwise healthy tooth. Our specialists will diagnose tissue detachment and bone loss from your x-rays and advise tooth extraction if needed.

Read more about the process of tooth extraction here- https://www.summitdentalclinic.org/ext