A Detailed Guide about Wisdom Teeth & Third Molars

What are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are your third molars of the final permanent teeth to emerge in your mouth if the teeth feel you have gained sufficient freedom by age 17 and 21. Unfortunately, some people never acquire the wisdom required to develop wisdom teeth. The unfortunate ones like you may either develop the teeth usually or be impacted because you don’t have sufficient room to accommodate them in your jaw.

Emerging wisdom teeth are painful for some people, while others don’t experience any pain. These third molars are positioned in the posterior region of your mouth in the upper and lower jaws. Therefore if you have gained sufficient wisdom will likely have four wisdom teeth in your mouth. However, wise people must always prepare themselves to confront different kinds of challenges in their lives, especially with molars like wisdom teeth.

What Happens if you Never Develop Wisdom Teeth?

If your wisdom teeth don’t emerge by 21, consider yourself among the fortunate few that can blissfully remain free from the problems wisdom teeth cause by remaining impacted below the gum line, growing at an angle towards the back of the mouth, or at a right angle towards the other teeth or the second molar, and grow straight up or down but remain trapped within the jawbone.

The problems described causing pain and discomfort send you searching for remedies from the dentist near you seeking relief from the complications wisdom teeth are causing.

What Happens When Wisdom Teeth Cause Problems?

Teeth causing problems in the mouth require treatments either by way of medications or removal, especially if they lead to infections like tooth decay and gum disease. Unfortunately, wisdom teeth are not an exception, and dentists often recommend problematic wisdom teeth removal for most people.

If you have impacted wisdom teeth, you can experience swelling and tenderness in your jaw, making it painful to touch. In addition, you might encounter challenges when eating or drinking, or the impacted wisdom tooth may attract infections. However, if you are diligent with your visits to the dentist in Pearland, they monitor the development of your wisdom teeth over time by taking x-rays and recommending corrective treatment if required.

Unfortunately, if you are not visiting your dentist frequently, you may not become aware of the wisdom teeth until they begin causing discomfort. After identifying the causes of the pain, your dentist may recommend wisdom tooth removal at the dentist’s office if you have a minor problem or refer you to an oral surgeon if you have a complicated situation.

Why do Dentists Recommend Wisdom Teeth Removal?

Dentists are not adversaries of wisdom teeth and are responsible for saving every tooth in your mouth. However, many dental specialists do not agree on the need to remove impacted asymptomatic wisdom teeth. Unfortunately, dentists are unable to predict any problems impacted wisdom teeth can cause. Therefore they rely on the rationale that preventive wisdom teeth removal is beneficial than leaving the tooth in its place. Dentists term wisdom tooth removal a preventive measure similar to maintaining preventive dental care.

The reason dentists recommend the removal of wisdom teeth is because when sufficient space isn’t available for wisdom teeth to emerge, they are challenging to clean. Even symptom-free wisdom teeth can harbor dental disease. Younger adults may not experience severe problems with wisdom teeth. However, older adults experience complications when opting to eliminate their final molars from their mouths by undergoing surgery.

What Problems Can You Expect with Wisdom Teeth Remaining in Your Mouth?

If you decide to leave your wisdom teeth in your mouth contrary to the dentist’s advice nearby, you likely invite a series of problems to affect your mouth that needs frequent visits to dentists for various treatments. Besides causing pain, wisdom teeth can trap food and debris behind them, leading to infections in the teeth and gum disease. In addition, even partially erupted wisdom teeth can attract tooth decay-causing damage to an adjacent tooth and surrounding bone. They may also cause complications if you need orthodontic treatments to straighten misaligned or malformed teeth.

Managing Your Third Molars

If you maintain excellent dental hygiene routines and visit your dentist every six months, the professional will likely monitor your mouth to determine if and when the wisdom teeth appear. The dentist recommends an appropriate course of action to manage the third molars appropriately to ensure you don’t have to encounter severe complications with your final set of permanent teeth emerging during the teens or adulthood.

If you are seeking a Wisdom Tooth Removal examination in Pearland, TX, you can book an appointment with Pearly Whites of Pearland for professional dental care services.