Wisdom teeth are unique from your other teeth in that, for the most part, you don’t really need them. As the third set of permanent molars to develop, they’re not necessary to process the modern human diet. In fact, over time, our jawbones have become smaller because of the reduced need for chewing power. That’s why many people who develop wisdom teeth often experience trouble due to crowding along their dental ridges. At our El Paso, TX, dental office, we can help you alleviate that trouble and enjoy several important benefits by extracting wisdom teeth that have become impacted.
The relief from severe tooth pain
When a third molar becomes impacted, it continues to push against the molar closes to it and the jawbone structure surrounding it. This can lead to intense, increasingly worse pain the more severe the impaction grows. Because they become stuck within the jawbone, impacted wisdom teeth don’t always erupt fully or at all from the gum line, and extracting them is the only way to relive the discomfort they cause. The process involves carefully accessing the tooth’s entire structure underneath the gums and then removing it, taking care not to damage surrounding teeth, jawbone, or periodontal tissues.
The improvement in your bite function
When your teeth and jawbone don’t hurt so much, tasks like biting and chewing become much more comfortable. However, in addition to the discomfort, wisdom teeth can have a direct impact on your bite’s function by forcing one or more other teeth out of alignment. This not only leaves your teeth more at risk, but also places an undue amount of stress on the components of your bite, such as your jaw joints. By extracting the wisdom teeth, we can remove the cause behind your diminished bite function and, if necessary, recommend customized treatment to improve it.
The reduced risks of other problems
Pain and dysfunction are important reasons to extract wisdom teeth, but they aren’t the only possible consequences of leaving them in. For example, teeth that are forced out of alignment because of the impaction are more likely to become damaged by your uneven bite pressure. They’re also more likely to develop progressive tooth decay, and the disturbed gum tissues around them become more susceptible to harmful bacteria. Extracting impacted wisdom teeth can be the first step to restoring your smile and helping avoid the need for more extensive treatment later on.
Learn if you can benefit from wisdom tooth extraction
If you have one or more impacted wisdom teeth, then extracting them as soon as possible can have several important benefits for your smile. For more information, schedule an appointment by calling the Sunny Smiles dental office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today! We also have offices in Chaparral, Canutillo, and Vinton so we can easily serve patients throughout all surrounding communities.