When should wisdom teeth be removed?

With regular checkups, your dentist is able to monitor your wisdom teeth. Here are possible reasons that may prompt your dentist to recommend wisdom tooth extraction.

• Wisdom teeth that are not in their ideal position can trap food and cause decay and damage to the tooth.
• It is difficult to clean and floss between wisdom teeth that have not erupted properly.
• Wisdom teeth that have only partially surfaced can give bacteria an opening to enter the gums and create a breeding ground for infection and gum disease.
• Wisdom teeth that do not have enough room to grow in can crowd and damage the adjacent teeth.
• The wisdom tooth grows in a sac within the jawbone which can fill with fluid forming a cyst that can damage your nerves, teeth and jawbones.

How do you know that your wisdom teeth are growing in?

Aside from discovering your new molars in the rear of your mouth, symptoms including pain and tenderness in the gums may indicate that your wisdom teeth are growing.

Symptoms that may indicate a problem with your wisdom teeth include bleeding, red or swollen gums, jaw pain or swelling, bad breath or unpleasant taste in your mouth and difficulty opening your mouth.

What should you do if you notice any of these symptoms?

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause tooth damage, decay, pain and cysts. If you feel any of the symptoms above, visit your dentist right away.

Depending on the complexity of the surgery and the position of your wisdom teeth, your dentist may refer you to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMS). An OMS is the surgical experts of dentistry. They are trained to safely and accurately perform surgical extractions of one or all of your wisdom teeth.