A healthy human mouth typically grows 32 permanent teeth by early adulthood. Unfortunately, the average human mouth is only suited to hold 28 teeth comfortably. The last four teeth are known as wisdom teeth, or third molars. Although not everyone grows all or any of these teeth, when they do come in, they are frequently accompanied by great discomfort and a threat to your oral health. So frequently, in fact, that many people choose to have their wisdom teeth removed before they can begin to cause trouble. Today, we explore why extracting third molars is often wiser than waiting to see how they will behave.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
If you’ve ever dealt with an impacted wisdom tooth, then you may remember the complications that can arise from a tooth trying to grow where there is no room. Your teeth cannot simply stop growing if they hit an obstruction, such as a preexisting tooth. Instead, wisdom teeth commonly grow at an odd angle, trying to fit into whatever space is available. These large molars can also push your other teeth out of place, damaging their structure and increasing your risk of developing dental health issues.
Sometimes, the wisdom tooth may partially erupt from your gums, placing itself at risk for infection and decay by making proper oral hygiene more difficult. Whether the tooth erupts or not, the discomfort of a misguided wisdom tooth can often be debilitating, and many impacted wisdom teeth can develop cysts—fluid-filled sacs that can expand and destroy your jawbone as they damage surrounding teeth.
Learn More About Extracting Impacted Wisdom Teeth
In some cases, you may grow all four of your third molars without incident, never feeling an ounce of discomfort. If you believe your wisdom teeth are growing in and may need extraction, then schedule an appointment by calling the Sunny Smiles dental office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today! We have offices in the East, Northeast, and Westside of El Paso, and happily welcome patients from all nearby communities, including Chaparral, Canutillo, Vinton, and Sunland Park, New Mexico.