Wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure, with nearly half of all adults needing at least one taken out during their adulthood. While this is a frequently performed treatment, invasive dental procedures like this may be intimidating to many patients. Your team at Sunny Smiles Family Dentistry in El Paso, TX, is here today to explore why these teeth are removed and what happens during the procedure, so you know what to expect.
Explaining The Purpose Of Wisdom Teeth
Third molars are another set of teeth that develop around your late teens or twenties. There are four of these in total, although some patients may not grow all of them. Some patients may only develop one, and others may grow all four. It is speculated that our ancestors may have used these to chew certain foods in the past. However, these are no longer essential to the appearance of function of our smile. Your dentist may recommend having these removed before they can disrupt your other pearly whites. You may be able to tell if these molars are growing if your jaw area is tender or the area is more sensitive than usual. Your dental team may be able to track their development with the help of X-rays during your regular appointments.
When Do They Ready To Remove?
In some cases, you may not experience much discomfort when this set of teeth develops. However, it is often still recommended to have them taken out so that they do not cause issues for the surrounding dentition. Leaving them in may cause your other teeth to shift out of alignment or become overcrowded. If they cause you pain or at risk of hurting your other pearly whites, an appointment can be made to have them removed. In some cases, the team may need to extract them before starting the orthodontic process. However, this can depend on when you get braces and when the molars erupt.
Why Are Other Teeth Extracted?
Wisdom teeth are not the only dental structures that can be removed. If you have severely damaged a tooth or it could potentially harm your others, it may need to be taken out too. In most cases, your dentist will do their best to avoid this by doing restorations or aligning the teeth. However, if the tooth cannot be repaired, removal is essential to keeping your oral health in good condition. After this is done, prosthetic options can be discussed to help maintain your smile’s health and function.
Do Not Put Off This Treatment
If your third molars have begun to develop, it is likely that you will need to have them taken out. You can call Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, at 915.759.7000 to talk to our team about this.