Are you too Old to have your Wisdom Teeth removed?
So you maybe speeding towards your milestone thirtieth birthday or are a very empowered 30+ something or you are what millenials call a ‘boomer’- what ever age you are you may think that you are too old to have your wisdom teeth removed when your dentist advises that you should.
So let us shed some light on this. The most important thing that you should know is that there is no real age set in stone about when you should get your wisdom teeth removed. While a majority of individuals tend to get this molar removed between the ages of 18-25, it may not always be the case. At Summit Dental Clinic, we advise that you get your wisdom tooth removed if-
It is hurting- also taking into account whether it is a functional tooth or not
It is grossly infected
It is causing decay in the neighbouring tooth because of its position
In younger individuals- if we predict that the wisdom teeth will cause a problem in the future
To aid in Orthodontic treatment
We do not recommend extracting the third molar teeth if they are not causing a problem - why create a problem when there is none? However, once a diagnosis has been made and the solution/ treatment is tooth removal, we do not advise that you wait or put it off any longer. A few people are apprehensive about the procedure even at this stage due to a combination of fear and their ‘age’.
However the longer you wait -the worse it will get ( as with any dental problems ). They do not disappear or heal on their own. Keep in mind- there are a few issues which presents itself as your age advances, such as-
Nerve Injury- the longer your wisdom teeth are present/ impacted, the closer they get to the underlying nerve. The proximity of the tooth to the nerve is a cause for concern during tooth removal. The longer you wait- the closer it gets- the more chances of nerve complications. Do not panic at this stage as our Oral Surgeon is trained to deal with such clinical situations, but be prepared to deal with this scenario when you procrastinate.
Longer Recovery Time- It is obvious that as we get older our body takes a longer time to heal/ recover. We will talk to you about this when scheduling your procedure and plan your treatment to work around your work schedule and tell you the amount of downtime needed.
If you have been experiencing issues with your wisdom tooth or have been advised removal by your dentist, it is something you should seriously consider making it happen in the future. By tackling the issues at the earliest- you could avoid severe complications in the future.