Extracting permanent teeth is not common, unless you are referring to wisdom teeth. These third set of molars are known for causing more harm than good. In fact, they don’t provide any substantial functional benefit and they typically don’t have room to erupt in a comfortable or proper manner. For a large number of patients, wisdom teeth removal is suggested. This is a simple oral surgery that is commonly performed on patients between the ages of 16 and 21. However, it can be done in later adulthood as well.
What could go wrong if you chose to ignore your dentist’s recommendation of wisdom teeth removal? There’s a variety of scenarios, including the following:
- Partial Eruption
- If here is not enough jaw space for a wisdom tooth to fully erupt, it may only partially come through the gum line. This opens the door for gum infection and decay is highly likely. In fact, decay is a greater possibility even if your wisdom teeth come in fully, as they are difficult to keep clean due to the far back location in your mouth. You may experience pain, swelling and tenderness at the site.
- Impaction
- Impacted wisdom teeth represent the most severe consequence of neglecting wisdom teeth removal. This is caused when the wisdom teeth grow in sideways and get wedged into the neighboring tooth. The impaction can produce a host of issues, ranging from painful jaw cysts, nerve damage, jaw discomfort, shifting teeth and more.
Although you may not be too excited about getting your teeth pulled, it is a small sacrifice to make in order to protect the health and comfort of your smile. Most patients have short recovery after wisdom teeth removal and of course sedation dentistry can be utilized during your actual procedure. Call Gilreath Family Dentistry today to schedule your wisdom teeth evaluation.
Posted on behalf of Dr. Paul Gilreath IV,
