The last four teeth to grow on your dental ridge, known as wisdom teeth, are technically your third set of permanent molars. For most people, however, two sets are enough, and there is often little room left on their dental ridges to accommodate more. This often leads to problems with the growth and development of wisdom teeth, and the need to extract one or more of them due to severe discomfort. At our Santa Rosa, CA, dental office, we can help you find relief from that discomfort by carefully extracting impacted wisdom teeth, or removing them before they even have a chance to become problematic.
Why are they called “wisdom teeth”?
Third molars are unofficially known as wisdom teeth because of the age at which they erupt. Typically, they develop around the ages of 17-25 – a time in young people’s lives that was once referred to as the age of wisdom. While it’s still a sign of maturity, the development of wisdom teeth is often more troublesome than honorable now, and their presence can sometimes mean that the rest of your teeth and oral structures may soon be at risk.
Where does the pain come from?
The discomfort of wisdom teeth stems from their impaction. Some people may develop all four wisdom teeth without a hitch. Others, however, may experience increasing discomfort as the molars become impacted the teeth already at the ends of your dental ridges. This obstruction stops wisdom teeth from erupting from the gums properly, leaving the molar stuck within the jawbone and impeded by the other tooth’s structure. The pain will grow more intense as the molar continues to try to erupt, pushing more intensely against the tooth.
Do all wisdom teeth need to be extracted?
When a wisdom tooth becomes impacted, extracting it is imperative to preserving the rest of your smile. Yet, your dentist might recognize the need to extract them before they cause such trouble. If a routine exam and X-rays shows that the molar will not be able to erupt properly, then we might suggest removing one, several, or all of them to avoid such problems. Because wisdom teeth are extraneous and not vital to your bite’s function, extracting them preemptively will not negatively impact your oral health or bite function.
Learn if you should extract your wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth are common, but so is their impaction and the many different problems they can cause. For more information, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
