There is much debate about when the right time is to get your wisdom teeth, or third molars removed. The simple answer is wisdom teeth removal, and preferably sooner rather than later.
Wisdom teeth generally come through between the ages of 17 and 25, whilst some come through reasonably worry free, others are unable to fully enter the mouth leading to the teeth becoming impacted.
Nine out of ten people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth. An impacted wisdom tooth is unable to break through the gums due to lack of space surrounding it. The tooth may grow sideways or towards the second molars. This can cause discomfort for the patient leading to dry sockets, cyst formation, tooth decay, gum disease and inflammation of the gums. Other health problems may arise from physical pain associated with wisdom teeth and some studies suggest that this pain could have a systematic impact on pregnancy if left to develop.
Many patients are only prompted to see the dentist when pain in the wisdom tooth or teeth has already arisen; removal surgery at a younger age actually improves the chance of keeping infection at bay with quicker recovery times. As a teenager the teeth are still forming, although the wisdom teeth may be showing no signs of disease, it doesn’t actually mean they may be problem free later on.
It’s well reported that extracting teeth in later life is made more difficult as the roots are completely formed and embedded into the gum and the jaw. Being X-rayed from an earlier age will provide your dentist and oral surgeon with enough evidence to make an in depth analysis of your situation, predicting through X-rays whether the wisdom teeth make cause you problems.
Wisdom teeth that have erupted in a straight line upwards, relatively pain free and are functional in the mouth may not need to be extracted. Professional cleaning and making sure to book in regular appointments with your dentist will allow them to make an informed decision about when the best time will be to remove your wisdom teeth. This will then help with preventing the risk of long term damage to your teeth and gums.
