Should You Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Posted on: 13 December 2019
Do you still have your wisdom teeth? While not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed, many do have issues that necessitate removal. The reason for these issues is that modern family dental hygiene means one is less likely to lose teeth during adolescence, so there is no room in the mouth for this extra row of teeth. If your dentist has recommended wisdom teeth removal but you aren't sure if you should go through with it, here are some things that may influence your decision.
Overcrowding
You may not feel any immediate discomfort from overcrowding, especially if the wisdom teeth are just coming it, but it will become a problem. When there is not enough room in the mandible, the wisdom teeth begin pushing your other molars forward and out. Depending on how tight the space is, this pushing can even affect your front teeth, Your teeth will end up crooked and out of alignment, which can even affect your ability to chew. The affect on the alignment may even result in chronic issues, such as jaw pain.
Impaction
If a crowded wisdom tooth comes in at an angle due to space constraints. The result is a tooth can not break through the gums, or is only able to partially break through. These teeth are prone to a whole host of problems, including an increased risk of decay since a partially erupted tooth cannot be properly cleaned. Pressure from the impaction can lead to jaw pain and trouble talking and chewing. Further, the pressure on the neighboring molars from the impacted tooth can also lead to crooked teeth.
Hot-Cold Sensitivity
When wisdom teeth don't come in correctly, one result can be sensitivity to temperatures. This can in part be caused by overexposure of neighboring teeth due to being pushed out of alignment so that less of a tooth is covered by the gum. Inflammation of the gum as a result of the problem wisdom tooth can also lead to an increase in hot-cold sensitivity.
Discomfort
A funny thing about mouth discomfort is you may not always feel it from the area that is experiencing problems. In other words, the area around your wisdom teeth may be inflamed and irritated, but you may feel discomfort deep in your jaw, or even in the gums around your canines or front teeth. One reason for this is that wisdom teeth that aren't erupting correctly can lead to an infection, which may present in other parts of your mouth first.
Contact a family dentist if you suspect that you need a wisdom tooth extraction.
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