Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth often appear when someone reaches their late teenage years or early twenties. But what exactly are these teeth and why is it important to have them removed?

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that we grow. They usually appear during our late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth can sometimes be useful to us, but most of the time they are misaligned and may grow in weird locations. Sometimes they grow horizontally, sometimes they push other teeth, and sometimes they can even damage adjacent teeth.

Because wisdom teeth are often encased within the soft tissue or even inside the jawbone, they may allow bacteria to enter around the tooth which can cause serious infections in the gums and surrounding soft tissues. This may lead to pain, swelling, and stiffness. It can also accelerate the rate of tooth decay and gum disease because they often grow in weird locations which make brushing and cleaning difficult.

What are wisdom teeth?

How do I know if I have a wisdom tooth?

In most cases, contacting us and attending regular appointments will help your dentist identify if you have wisdom teeth growing.

If they do detect that your wisdom teeth are starting to grow or have grown, then they may recommend extracting them before they have a chance to affect the rest of your teeth.

Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

Wisdom teeth removal is often needed when they are causing issues in your mouth. However, if they have grown completely, are healthy, or are even positioned correctly, then there’s a good chance that you don’t need to remove them. If you are able to reach and clean your wisdom teeth, then your dentist may say that it’s unnecessary to remove them unless they are causing you discomfort.

However, wisdom teeth can eventually lead to problems, especially if they’ve only just started growing. It’s hard to tell what direction they may grow and if they may affect the other teeth inside your mouth.

When should I remove my wisdom teeth?

If you’re experiencing these kinds of symptoms, then you may want to remove your wisdom teeth or at least visit us to identify your situation;

Tooth-related pain
Repeat infections of the tissue around your wisdom teeth
Damage to teeth next to wisdom teeth
Gum disease
Tooth decay
Jaw pain

If you experience any of these symptoms and believe that they may be caused by your wisdom teeth, then we highly suggest that you contact us to schedule an appointment to ensure that we can properly diagnose the issue.

The benefits of removing your wisdom teeth early

Even if you currently don’t experience these symptoms, there’s still a chance that your wisdom teeth may grow in strange directions or begin to affect other teeth. If they have only started forming and you find it difficult to clean them, then they may be susceptible to bacteria and decay over time. Removing them at a younger age does offer a number of benefits:

Recovery time is much faster once they are removed at an early age
It prevents any potential damage that wisdom teeth could cause later in life
Your mouth heals more quickly if they are removed before they are fully formed

Detecting your wisdom teeth as early as possible will likely require the use of a digital x-ray. This will help the dentist identify if you have wisdom teeth, after which they can suggest when to have them extracted so they cause the least trouble and so your mouth can quickly heal.

What’s it like to remove wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth removal is a simple and well-documented process. Many people have their wisdom teeth removed and it’s a completely normal procedure that your dentist will have performed many times before.

The area around your wisdom teeth is numbed. This helps to numb the pain during wisdom teeth removal.
You may be sedated if your dentist deems it necessary. Your dentist may suggest a sedative if you feel anxious about having your teeth removed. Depending on the type of sedative used, you may need help getting back home after the procedure.
An incision is made around the gum tissue to expose the tooth. Depending on how deep your wisdom tooth is, your dentist will need to make incisions around the gum tissue to get access to the tooth.
Bone is removed to access the root of the tooth. To ensure complete removal of the tooth, your dentist may need to remove bone if it’s blocking the root of the tooth.
The tooth is cut into sections and then removed. This makes it easier to remove the tooth once it has been broken into pieces.
The removal site is cleaned of any bone and debris. Any loose shards of your tooth or bone will be safely removed.
Stitches are used to close the wound and gauze is used to control bleeding. This helps the wound heal faster.

This process will be repeated if you have multiple wisdom teeth that need to be removed.

How long does wisdom teeth removal take?

This process usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour from start to finish.

Are there any risks?

Wisdom teeth extraction is a very common procedure that usually doesn’t result in complications. Patients may experience some bleeding after the procedure or temporary discomfort in surrounding teeth if the wisdom tooth was very close to other teeth or was growing at a strange angle.

Schedule a wisdom teeth examination today

Whether you’re aware of your wisdom teeth or want a dental examination to see if they’re causing problems, Schedule an appointment with Dental Excellence today. You’ll get peace of mind knowing if your wisdom teeth need to be removed, and you’ll be in professional hands once you decide to undergo a wisdom tooth extraction.

If you have any questions that you’d like to ask or want more information regarding the wisdom teeth removal process, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more details.

Serving patients from all over.

Independence | Blue Springs | Lee’s Summit

REQUEST APPOINTMENT