Wisdom Teeth East Wenatchee, WA Your wisdom teeth are the last teeth that will erupt into your mouth. They usually come in between the ages of 17 and 25, when your mouth is slightly larger and you (hopefully) have enough room to accommodate them comfortably. When your wisdom teeth have enough room and come in straight, they tend to be fine and need no intervention; however, if your mouth is too small to hold them or if they come in crooked, you may need to have them extracted. Failure to have them removed can lead to excruciating headaches, infection, crooked teeth, and other problems. What should you do?If you are between the ages of 17 and 25 you should be sure to have us closely examine the area where your wisdom teeth will come in. This should be done no less frequently than on an annual basis. The reason for this exam is to make sure that the teeth are growing properly and with enough space to accommodate them. If we determine that there is a problem and the wisdom teeth need to be removed, it is much easier to do so when they are early on in their development and the roots have not completely formed yet. In addition, if a wisdom tooth is coming in at an angle, prompt removal is necessary to prevent damage to your other teeth. Waiting until your other teeth have been pushed out of place or otherwise damaged is not the ideal way to handle removal of the wisdom teeth. Other Issues with the Wisdom TeethEven if you have enough room in your mouth to fit the teeth without them pushing into other teeth, there are still some issues to watch for. Because the wisdom teeth are set so far back in the mouth, it can be very difficult to keep them clean. This can lead to tooth decay and/or gum disease in the back of your mouth. Sometimes this decay takes place inside the tooth, so you are not even aware of it. For this reason, even if there is room in your mouth, you should talk with us about whether you should keep your wisdom teeth or have them removed. If you do decide to keep them, you must make sure that you adequately clean behind them in order to prevent the development of tooth decay or gum disease. We Are Here to Help You!We know that the prospect of having teeth removed can be very frightening. We are here to help you, and we want to take the time to answer any questions you may have about the process. We’re happy to sit down with you, explain the process, and review the pros and cons of wisdom teeth removal. We want you to be comfortable with the process, and we will do everything we can to make sure you have the answers you need to all of your questions before we ever begin. We look forward to hearing from you! If you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, call us at (509) 886-8833 today! |
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