Many people have wisdom teeth, which lots of experts believe are a vestige of evolution from a time when man ate kinds of food different from what we consume now. These teeth are technically molars that usually show up between seventeen and twenty-five, a time that is informally called the wisdom years. Wisdom teeth have no function, and in many cases, they even become unmanageable to the point of causing severe pain.
Your dentist might normally recommend wisdom teeth removal as a way to prevent subsequent dental problems, or the procedure may become imperative due to one or more of the following reasons.
Incorrect Growth
Sometimes, when wisdom teeth grow in, they take up excessive space inside the mouth. You cannot get them straightened out with braces, and because your mouth is overcrowded, no viable procedure can make all your teeth fit together. A general dentist could take a look and tell you which wisdom teeth need to be extracted. Removing all of them sets you back to a total of twenty-eight teeth, assuming you have never lost a tooth.
Pain and Irritation
Wisdom teeth can hurt, and if pain comes on, you need to see your dentist as soon as possible. They can tell you whether the tooth causing the pain, or something else is. If it is the former, extraction is still only one of the options going forward. Some pains can correct themselves, eliminating the need of a removal procedure.
Difficulty in Eating
If you experience pain while you eat, your wisdom teeth may need to be extracted. You may have food stuck between these and your gums. Proper attention must be paid to cleaning these areas while brushing, and your dentist can help you with that. If the issue cannot be resolved any other way, then an extraction may be the only choice.
A Cyst Surrounding a Wisdom Tooth
If you have a fluid-filled sac from near a wisdom tooth, then you have what is called cyst. Left by itself, a cyst can erode bones and roots. If the problem exacerbates, it could even develop into a tumor that demands complex surgery to remove. Wisdom teeth removal is usually the easiest and safest way to take care of this.
Crooked Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth can grow in crooked, causing other teeth to shift and tilt. Some of the latter can even get damaged because of this. Extraction of the problematic wisdom tooth can prevent that from happening.