Emerging Wisdom Teeth
Most adults will develop their third set of molars between the ages of 17 and 21. This third set of molars are more commonly referred to as your wisdom teeth.
How can I tell if my Wisdom Teeth are emerging?
For a few fortunate people, their wisdom teeth will emerge without giving any significant problems. For the vast majority however, emerging wisdom teeth will come along with significant pain, with 85% of people experiencing severe problems. In these cases, the expertise of an oral surgeon will be required to remove them safely.
For those who have regularly scheduled dental checkups, it is likely that the surgeon will pinpoint when your wisdom teeth are about to emerge. This is usually spotted on an x-ray well before the wisdom teeth emerge, and allows your dental team to come up with a course of action.
In some cases, however, your wisdom teeth will begin to emerge before they are spotted by your surgeon. If this is the case for you, any of these symptoms can be a tell-tale sign:
-A throbbing sensation in the rear of your jaw
-Gums that are swollen
-Cuts or breaks in your gums
-Earaches
-Jaw pain
It should be noted that there are other dental issues that share some of these symptoms in common. For instance, disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can also cause jaw pressure or pain, earaches and headaches while tooth sensitivity may be experienced if you have a cavity.
Why should I remove my Wisdom Teeth?
For most people, the primary reason why their wisdom teeth will need to be removed is a lack of space in the jaw for them to grow in. If this is the case, allowing the wisdom teeth to grow in could create a pushing effect on the other teeth and cause crowding and overlapping. With teeth that are too close together, it can be a challenge to keep them clean, thus increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Another common disorder of wisdom teeth is impaction. This is when your wisdom teeth are stuck in your jaw and are unable to emerge or can only partially emerge. Both these cases increase the likelihood of infection and abscesses and thus necessitate an extraction.
If you feel it may be necessary to have your wisdom teeth extracted, look no further than one of our offices at Bay Area OSM today. Our team of experts is well trained and experienced in wisdom teeth extraction and ready to help you today!
