What’s the best age to have my wisdom teeth removed? I want them out before they start causing me problems. – Mauricio
Mauricio – Your wisdom teeth may not need to be extracted if they completely erupt, are pain free, cavity free, and free of disease.
When your jawbone is too small and there isn’t enough room for wisdom teeth to erupt completely, the teeth will be impacted. An impacted tooth can cause infection in other teeth, and it can cause other teeth to shift and become misaligned.
If it becomes difficult to clean between your teeth, food and debris can get trapped. The resulting bacteria can lead to gum disease.
Wisdom teeth that are impacted, painful, have cavities or are promoting gum disease, or that are harmful to adjacent teeth, should be surgically removed to prevent further damage.
During your regular dental cleanings and examinations, your dentist will examine your wisdom teeth to determine if they are healthy, or if they need to be removed. Let your dentist know if any of your wisdom teeth become painful.
This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
