It is very common to get the chill of anxiety when you hear the words ‘tooth extraction‘. In fact, this fear affects up to 15% of the entire population! Fortunately, many dental offices are able to offer excellent relaxation options (such as sedation, television, headphones, warm blankets, etc). When it comes to getting your wisdom teeth extracted, there can be a lot of confusion that surrounds the procedure. Many people aren’t sure they have wisdom teeth, and if they do, they have no clue about when they may need to be removed. So, what are the signs that these pesky molars need to get the boot?
Stay On Top of Regular Dental Visits
The best way to know whether or not your wisdom teeth have begun to wreak havoc in your mouth is by staying on top of your regular dental visits. Dentists recommend seeing a dentist at least twice per year (more if recommended by your provider). At these routine visits, the dentist will take updated x-rays. With this imaging, your wisdom teeth will either have cut through the gums (in which case, you may have already begun to feel the discomfort of having them), or they will appear under the gumline.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
An important observation that dentists will note is whether or not your wisdom teeth are coming in straight or growing in at an angle. When wisdom teeth have not cut through the gums and are growing at an angle, they call them impacted.
When a wisdom tooth, or teeth, grow at an angle, they begin to crowd the other molars in the back of the mouth. As the crowding worsens, back molars can become damaged or loose. These impacted wisdom teeth can push so hard against the teeth that the front teeth may start to get loose.
Most dentists will recommend extraction at this point, or they will refer you to an oral surgeon for further evaluation.
When the Pain Sets In
If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, another way to tell if your wisdom teeth are ready to come out is if you have been feeling pain or discomfort. Even if your wisdom teeth have come straight through the gums at a proper angle, due to crowding you may still feel tenderness in the back of the gums and teeth getting loose.
Any tooth pain should warrant a visit to the dentist, as teeth can get infected and need emergency dental services. If you are suffering from any tooth pain – don’t wait!
Consult a Professional
The best way to know whether or not your wisdom teeth need to come out is to talk to your dentist. At South Springs Dental Group, we are proud to be your one-stop shop for all of your dental needs. We have an oral surgeon on our dental team that provides excellence to all patients.
Schedule an appointment today as a new patient and you can get a $59 offer that includes your first exam, x-rays, and cleaning! We look forward to providing you with the dental resources you need for a healthy mouth.