Wisdom teeth used to be considered a rite of passage of sorts, signifying the transition into young adulthood. However, wisdom teeth are more often considered a problem that causes increasing discomfort and complicates oral health care. In fact, because wisdom teeth cause so much trouble when they become impacted by other molars or your jawbone, they are among the most commonly extracted types of teeth. If your wisdom teeth are causing chronic discomfort, then schedule a visit with your dentist as soon as possible to find out if you should extract them.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the informal name given to your third set of permanent molars, which begin to erupt around the ages of 17-25. With the addition of third molars, a healthy adult mouth will grow a total of 32 permanent teeth; however, most people’s dental ridges can only comfortably accommodate a total of 28 teeth. Thanks to spacing and crowding issues, wisdom teeth frequently become impacted by the second set of molars, forcing them to develop and grow at an angle rather than straight up and down. Left untreated, this leads to a number of dental health issues, including severe tooth and jaw pain.
Should I Extract Mine?
While impacted third molars are common, many patients will develop all four of their wisdom teeth without incident, and may not experience any complications. Others may decide to preemptively extract wisdom teeth before they start to hurt so they can avoid the discomfort of tooth impaction. The best way to know whether or not you should extract your third molars is to schedule an examination as soon as possible with your dentist.
Ask Your Dentist About Wisdom Tooth Extraction
If your wisdom teeth are coming in or are already causing trouble, then speak with your dentist about wisdom tooth extraction as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment, call 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.