How Do You Know it’s Time to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Ask Your Dentist.
· You may not be able to tell that your wisdom teeth need to be removed without an examination. There are important reasons, other than pain, to have them removed.
· It is advised to pay close attention to the status of wisdom teeth development in the mid-teens. It is unusual to plan for wisdom teeth removal before mandibular growth has stabilized and this stage varies from person to person. Many extractions are needed when patients reach an age of 17-21, but there is no set age.
· You may not feel any physical symptoms that alert you to the fact that your Wisdom Teeth need to be removed. Some people do not experience any pain or discomfort at all.
· Don’t wait for pain until you see your dentist. If you wait too long the surgery may become more difficult. Some patients do experience minor to severe pain in the jaw area surrounding the wisdom teeth. Some patients experience increasing pain as the wisdom teeth grow and press on nerves and bone.
· Talk with your dentist about any swelling, inflammation or tenderness of the gums around the wisdom teeth (pericoronitis).
· Seek dental help if you experience foul breath or a bad taste when eating. You may have dental infection associated with your wisdom teeth and you should know that any dental infection would impact your medical health, too.
· Some patients experience pain outside of their jaw area. We have had patients complain of headaches or “migraines,” neck pain, TMJ and poor occlusion (bite fit) associated with impacted or infected wisdom teeth.
· Crowding of teeth may be a symptom that your wisdom teeth need to be removed.
· Impacted wisdom teeth can increase the likelihood of cyst formation around the tooth and in rare instances can involve the risk of cancer.
· You may not need to have all of your wisdom teeth removed. Your dentist will be able to explain your specific dental need to you after looking at current X-rays.
