If you’re someone who is not particularly keen on seeing your dentist for your annual cleaning, then the thought of having your wisdom teeth removed may be hellish. Your friends’ stories don’t help either, and you already envision yourself with a swollen face and blabbering random things after the surgery.
In all honesty, wisdom teeth removal can be quite painful. While most people recover within three to four days after the surgery, some may experience more pain and swelling than others.
But, here’s the thing: not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. If they aren’t causing any problems, then you can keep them for a long period.
So, when’s the right time to get your wisdom teeth out?
Let’s find out!
Wisdom Teeth Complications
As mentioned above, some people have enough room in their mouth for all their teeth to develop nicely and healthy. But, for most of us, however, the eruption of wisdom teeth can lead to a series of problems and complications.
For starters, a wisdom tooth can put pressure on your teeth and force them to change their position, affecting past orthodontic work. Even if the wisdom tooth has not erupted yet (in which case they are called impacted or partially impacted,) they can still cause a lot of damage.
For instance, if a flap of gum covers part of your tooth, then bits of food and bacteria can get trapped underneath, causing pericoronitis, an infection of the gums surrounding the crown of a partially erupted tooth. This condition can cause a lot of pain and swelling.
If your wisdom tooth hasn’t come out because the bone or other teeth is blocking it, then the problems can get quite severe. More often than not, people experience no symptoms and think that their teeth are in good condition. That’s until they discover that they have a periodontal disease in progress that may affect the integrity of their pearly whites.
So, When Should You Remove Your Wisdom Teeth?
There is no definite answer to this question. Some people get their wisdom teeth out during their teen years while others undergo this procedure later into their adulthood. The best thing you can do is to visit your dentist regularly and have X-rays of your denture to see the evolution of your wisdom teeth. That way, your dentist can identify any problems early on and fix them before they can cause any pain and suffering.