With age, often comes wisdom teeth.
Do my wisdom teeth have room to grow?
Wisdom teeth can lead to problems if there isn’t enough space for them to surface or if they come through in the wrong position. When your wisdom teeth are “impacted”, they are trapped in your jaw or under your gums.
As your wisdom teeth make their way through your gums, we will be monitoring your mouth for signs of the following:
- Wisdom teeth that aren’t in the right position can allow food to become trapped. That gives cavity-causing bacteria a place to grow.
- Wisdom teeth that haven’t come in properly can make it difficult to floss between the wisdom teeth and the molars next to them.
- Wisdom teeth that have partially come through can give bacteria a place to enter the gums and create a place for infection to occur. This may also lead to pain, swelling and stiffness in your jaw.
- Wisdom teeth that don’t have room to come might crowd or damage neighboring teeth.
- A wisdom tooth that is impacted can form a cyst on or near the impacted tooth. This could damage the roots of nearby teeth or destroy the bone that supports your teeth.
Do my wisdom teeth need to be removed?
Every patient is unique, but in general, wisdom teeth may need to be removed when there is evidence of changes such as:
- Pain
- Infection
- Cysts
- Tumors
- Damage to neighboring teeth
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
We might also recommend removal of wisdom teeth as part of treatment for braces or other dental care.
Before making any decisions, we will examine your mouth and together, discuss the best course of treatment.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I choose to keep my wisdom teeth?
We will continue to monitor your wisdom teeth because the potential for developing problems later on still exists. Be sure to floss around your wisdom teeth and visit us regularly. Regular dental visits will allow us to evaluate your wisdom teeth and your overall dental health.
