Wisdom Teeth – The Facts
Here are some of the facts that you should be aware of regarding wisdom teeth;
Wisdom Teeth – The Facts #1
Wisdom teeth are the last of the permanent teeth to erupt. They are also called third molars.
Widsom Teeth – The Facts #2
Wisdom teeth usually appear in the late teenage years or early twenties. Most people will have four wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth can be responsible for causing misalignment or crowding of the front teeth and for this reason some people opt to remove them.
Wisdom Teeth – The Facts #3
In some cases, wisdom teeth never erupt through the gums and are referred to as impacted wisdom teeth (or impacted third molars). Impacted wisdom teeth are typically blocked from erupting due to the positioning of other teeth. If wisdom teeth remain impacted, they can cause pain and inflammation and infection may occur. In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth can cause damage to adjacent teeth. For these reasons, it is often necessary for individuals with impacted wisdom teeth to have them surgically removed. Your dentist can advise the most appropriate time for extraction – early is normally better than later, so don’t put your visit off it: is so much easier to remove wisdom teeth before the roots are fully formed and when the bone is “younger” and more flexible.
Wisdom Teeth – The Facts #4
Depending on your specific circumstances, wisdom teeth can be surgically extracted by your dentist in around 20 – 30 minutes. You’ll then need to spend some time under supervision in recovery as the sedation wears off.
If you have pain in the area of your wisdom teeth or are concerned that your wisdom teeth have not erupted call us, make an appointment with your dentist today to discover your treatment options.
Wisdom Teeth – The Facts on the Web:
See this great link from the Australian Dental Association on how Dentists in Australia might be taking out too many wisdom teeth unnecessarily – come to us we will give you good advice if you are concerned: https://www.ada.org.au/News-Media/News-and-Release/Latest-News/Wisdom-teeth-To-remove-or-not-to-remove
And another from the American Dental Association: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/w/wisdom-teeth
