Most people recognize wisdom teeth for one thing above all else – the trouble they often cause. In fact, wisdom teeth are among the most frequently types of extracted teeth due to the numerous ways in which they can threaten your oral health. At our Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgery office, we understand well the complications that can arise when wisdom teeth start to act up. In many cases, that’s why we recommend extracting wisdom teeth as soon as possible, especially if they’ve already begun to cause problems.
How did my third molars get impacted?
Third molars, the official name for your four wisdom teeth, are the last molars to erupt on your dental ridge. Unfortunately for many patients, most of the room at the end of the ridges has already been taken up by the second set of molars by the time wisdom teeth arrive. This leads to a host of spacing and crowding problems as soon as your third molars begin to develop and try to erupt. The limited spacing can cause them to become stuck, or impacted, and change angles to continue growing against your jawbone structure and/or existing molars.
What if my wisdom teeth are just fine for now?
Not all wisdom teeth experience the same challenges. In fact, for many patients, all of their wisdom teeth can develop and erupt without causing a single problem. However, you never really know for sure if your wisdom teeth development will be free of incident, and if you’re wrong, then you may risk exposing your oral health to a number of different concerns. In many cases, the safer option is to remove your wisdom teeth as soon as possible, even if they haven’t begun to cause any discomfort yet.
Will I need to replace them after they’re extracted?
The good news about wisdom tooth extraction is that, unlike losing any other teeth, you don’t have to plan on replacing them afterward. The problems caused by wisdom teeth are often due to spacing issues, which means your bite already has enough permanent teeth to provide the chewing power you need. As long as your wisdom teeth haven’t had time to cause extensive damage to other teeth or oral structures, removing them may be all you need to fully restore your good oral health.
Learn more about wisdom tooth impaction
If your wisdom teeth are starting to hurt, or have been hurting for a while, then it’s time to learn more about extracting them as soon as possible. For more information, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
