When you’re a child and your adult teeth start pushing through your gums, it can feel like a rite of passage. You may have even made some money from the baby teeth you left under your pillow for the tooth fairy’s collection. But when your last set of adult teeth — your wisdom teeth — start the grow in, the process isn’t nearly as exciting.
That’s because in many cases, this third set of molars causes problems for the teeth already in your mouth. But it all depends on your specific jaw. At A&N Dental, Mandana Kheshtchin, DDS, takes the time to assess the teeth and help you decide if wisdom teeth extraction is right for you or your child.
To help you make the right decision for your family, let’s look deeper into this procedure and why so many people choose to get it.
The current state of wisdom teeth removal
Around 85% of people will get their wisdom teeth removed at some point during their lives. But some experts suggest this number is much too high. One New York Times article likened the wisdom teeth to the appendix. We don’t remove everyone’s appendix, do we? Just because wisdom teeth might pose problems down the road doesn’t necessarily mean they should be preemptively extracted.
Still, countless dental professionals recommend wisdom teeth extraction for good reason in some cases. Dr. Kheshtchin advises some of her patients to choose this procedure. It all depends on what’s going on in their mouths.
Reasons for wisdom teeth removal
Dr. Kheshtchin recommends wisdom teeth removal when allowing the wisdom teeth to grow in will cause problems for the other teeth in the mouth or your overall oral health. You benefit from removing your wisdom teeth when:
- Your jaw can’t accommodate them and they would cause teeth crowding
- They’re impacted, or unable to grow in properly
- They’re growing in crooked
- A cyst forms next to the wisdom tooth
Left unaddressed, your wisdom teeth can push your other teeth out of alignment or, if impacted, cause an often-painful infection in your gums. To help you avoid problems like these, Dr. Kheshtchin offers wisdom teeth removal at our A&N Dental office.
But if your wisdom teeth aren’t causing any other problems in your mouth, you may be able to skip the extraction procedure. Talk with Dr. Kheshtchin and she can let you know if your jaw has enough space to fit this third set of molars and if they’re growing in at the right angle. If so, she can monitor your wisdom teeth as they erupt to avoid impaction and help you protect your overall smile.
For personalized care and help to decide if you or your child should choose wisdom teeth removal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team at A&N Dental. Call our office in Tempe, Arizona, or book your appointment online today.