When Should Wisdom Teeth be Removed?

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article must be used for reference purpose only. It is not intended to provide a substitute for an expert's medical advice.

A whopping 10 million wisdom teeth are removed every year! Interestingly, a majority of them aren't deemed an absolute necessity. The dental health fraternity is divided into two sections when it comes to wisdom tooth extractions. One section, mostly comprising dental surgeons defends the necessity of wisdom tooth removal while other non surgeon dentists challenge this solution that is prescribed regardless of the nature of wisdom tooth problem. Thus, it is very confusing to decide if you really need a wisdom tooth extraction. You would also want to know if there is any other substitute treatment for wisdom tooth problems other than removal. Let us take a look at the scenarios in which wisdom tooth removal becomes an absolute necessity.

 When Should Wisdom Teeth Be Removed

Wisdom teeth typically erupt during teen years of a person's life. It is also normal for wisdom teeth to erupt after the person is well into his adulthood. The peculiarity of wisdom teeth is that they may take few months to several years to fully erupt. Since, the other teeth are fully erupted and functional by this time, eruption of wisdom teeth may lead to minor to severe dental problems. Some of the common problems are listed in this article.

Pain, Swelling, Discomfort

It is important to find the underlying cause of pain and swelling. It could be due to the fact that wisdom teeth have no place to erupt and are damaging the jaw or gums. Swelling, redness is often a sign of infection and must be treated on priority. Your dentist will often diagnose the cause of pain before right away recommending a tooth extraction.

X-Ray Indicating Possible Problems

If your wisdom teeth are not fully erupted, your dentist will still know if they could pose a possible problem by looking at the X-ray. Many teenagers are advised to undergo a removal surgery at this stage to avoid discomfort in future. This precautionary measure can also prevent the possible misalignment of teeth.

Damage to Jaw, Gums

If wisdom teeth do not have required space to grow, they may damage your gums or jaws while erupting. Besides, if they do not grow in proper direction, you may have trouble locking your jaws. This could lead to difficulty while eating. Removal becomes essential if physical discomfort also persists.

Disruption to Teeth Alignment

Wisdom teeth push other teeth while erupting, if the space is already crowded. If you have a smaller jaw, the chances are that your wisdom teeth may disrupt the alignment of your other teeth. This could be an annoying problem for teenagers who may have undergone orthodontic procedures to align their teeth.

All the above conditions provide a solid ground for taking out your wisdom teeth. Your dentist will be the best person to gauge your condition and suggest remedy.

About Author:

Oracare Dental Centre: A dental clinic based in Pune, India offers you a pleasant experience in regards to your dental needs. Oracare features state of the art technological equipments doubled up with some of the best dentists that Pune has to offer. Rest assured for a pain free treatment at one of the best dental clinics in Pune, Oracare.

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