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Despite what they
are called, wisdom teeth will not make you smarter.
If anything, they’ve only proven to become
quite the nuisance, causing headaches, tooth aches
and even a crammed smile. Wisdom teeth are the last
or third set of molars in your mouth. If they’re
not removed in time, they will erupt, usually during
the late teens or twenties. Wisdom teeth get their
name because they typically come later than regular
teeth.
While
some will grow up fortunate enough to keep their
wisdom teeth without problems, and some will grow
up without having any wisdom teeth at all, others
will grow up and their wisdom teeth will not. And
what that means is the wisdom teeth or tooth will
stay impacted in the jaw, likely causing headaches,
infection of the gums, tooth decay or destruction
of the jawbone. When wisdom teeth remain impacted,
they’re likely to grow improperly.
Pericoronitis,
which is a very painful infection that can attack
partially erupted wisdom teeth and surrounding gums,
will sometimes spread to the jaw and face. To avoid
this, most dentists will recommend wisdom teeth
removal.
Sometimes
wisdom teeth will grow in on an angle and can cause
decay on the neighboring tooth. This can cause large
amounts of plaque and often serves as a trap for
bacteria. Periodontal gum disease is also caused
by a bacteria found in plaque that oftentimes starts
near wisdom teeth.
Cysts
are another concern to consider if you chose to
leave your wisdom teeth in. The cysts will develop
around the impacted tooth and can destroy a great
deal of bone in the jaw before the cyst is even
noticed.
At
Gateway Dental, your wisdom teeth will not go unnoticed.
Dr. Bobby Grossi will make sure even those who aren’t
bothered by their impacted or erupted wisdom teeth
know the dangers of leaving them be.
Because
these are teeth one can surely live without, most
dentists will recommend wisdom teeth removal. When
it comes to removing wisdom teeth, it’s best
to do so when the roots are still small. When the
roots are small, removal is less painful and the
healing process is much quicker. If your dentist
notices wisdom teeth impacted or erupted, x-rays
will be taken and an examination will reveal if
removal is the right procedure.
Some
patients will have to have all four — upper
and lower — back wisdom teeth removed, while
others might only have one. Either way, to ensure
the most comfort, Dr. Grossi will numb the jaw from
which the tooth will be extracted and make the procedure
as quick and painless as possible. Every patient’s
situation is different.
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