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Hearing your dentist tell you that you need your wisdom teeth removed can seem a bit overwhelming. That seems like a big step, but for many who come into our office (located in beautiful Frisco, TX), considering wisdom teeth removal is one of the most important decisions you can make for your oral health. Most people between the ages of 17 and 25 should consider the removal of their wisdom teeth.

Why Do You Need Wisdom Teeth Removal?

The wisdom teeth, or back molars, are adult teeth that come in when a person is an older teen to young adult. They come in at the top and bottom on both sides. These teeth are not necessary for overall digestion and food processing. The problem is that most people do not have enough room at the back of their mouth to allow for their wisdom teeth to come in without pushing the other teeth nearby out of the way. Avoiding wisdom teeth removal can cause a number of problems.

Teeth Crowding

In order to push through the gumline and emerge, wisdom teeth often push at the teeth already present. That means the molars already in place could become out of line when the wisdom teeth come in. These wisdom teeth push all of the teeth out of proper alignment. If you have a beautiful smile already, you don’t want to avoid wisdom teeth removal – it could mean years of straightening applications to fix this.

Increased Risk of Decay

The location of the wisdom teeth makes it very hard for a person to properly clean them. Wisdom teeth removal, then, is beneficial because it helps minimize the risk of bacteria buildup. When wisdom teeth are removed, it is possible to properly brush and floss with ease, removing most of the bacteria from your mouth. However, if you keep your wisdom teeth, that bacteria can build up and, over time, impact the gums and surrounding teeth.

Inflammation and Infection

The lack of proper cleaning of these wisdom teeth can cause a number of risks, including inflammation and infection itself. Painful gum disease can develop within a short amount of time around the wisdom teeth area. While that may be localized to wisdom tooth pain for some people, it is also common for wisdom teeth gum disease like this to cause bacteria to spread through the bloodstream to other areas of the body. Poor oral health from wisdom teeth can directly contribute to damage to the brain or heart. This type of inflammation is difficult to treat, which is why removing the wisdom teeth to prevent it tends to be the better option.

Wisdom Teeth Removal and Impaction of Teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth can develop if these teeth are not properly positioned to come in later. Impacted wisdom teeth are not that are at an odd angle or otherwise unable to come up in the proper position, leading to damage to surrounding teeth. Sometimes these wisdom teeth cannot emerge at all. When that happens, it can lead to:

• Significant pain, especially as decay sets in
• Damage to other teeth as it forces them out of the way
• Chipped or cracked teeth

Sometimes impacted wisdom teeth do not create an immediate problem. You may not see any immediate concern from your wisdom teeth. However, over time, this can change, and your wisdom teeth can lead to complex health problems and dental repair needs.

Signs You Should Not Put off Wisdom Teeth Removal 

If you are older and haven’t had your wisdom teeth removed, you may experience problems. These wisdom teeth problems can worsen until you seek out help from a dentist for them. They are often due to the breakdown of the wisdom teeth structure, including the gums and surrounding teeth.

If you have the following symptoms, you may have impacted wisdom teeth that require removal:

• Swollen, inflamed gums
• Bleeding gums
• Jaw pain sometimes radiating from the back of your mouth
• Swelling in the jaw area
• Unpleasant taste in your mouth and bad breath that does not improve
• Trouble opening your mouth
• Nerve pain
• Trouble chewing using the molars

In these situations, the impacted wisdom teeth have caused damage to the gum or surrounding tissues. As a result, wisdom teeth gum bacteria have invaded the area and may have led to the development of an infection. Other times, the wisdom teeth damage is all the way into the nerve root. There, it may cause severe pain with the nerve root’s exposure. Treatment can be effective at removing the wisdom tooth and avoiding complications.

What Are the Long-Term Benefits of Wisdom Teeth Removal?

When you come into our office, our team will discuss with you each one of the benefits you’ll see when you invest in wisdom teeth removal. For most people, this means a few key advantages:

• Removing problem wisdom teeth before they become painful and swollen
• If wisdom teeth are already painful, removing them can help to minimize that pain and help to reduce further infection spread
• Removing the wisdom teeth can also keep your smile beautiful and limit problems with crowding
• Wisdom teeth removal may help you avoid the onset of further complications with dental health as well as general health

Best of all, wisdom teeth removal is a safe procedure. Today, these procedures take about an hour to complete. You will get to go home the same day. You don’t have to worry about a significant amount of pain from the wisdom teeth procedure either. 

Don’t Put Your Oral Health on the Line – Schedule an Appointment Today

At NextGen OMS, our team is here to help you. If you’re unsure if you should have wisdom teeth removal or you know you need to have an operation right away, give us a call. Located in Frisco, TX, our talented team of professionals can help answer all of your questions and put your mind at ease. Schedule a consultation with us today.