Wisdom Teeth

Most people start getting their wisdom teeth (also called third molars) when they reach their late teens or early twenties. In most people, the jaws are not large enough to accommodate the four wisdom teeth, and they become impacted, remaining under the gum. The teeth are considered impacted when they partially break through the gum, grow in crooked, or fail to break through at all and remain trapped beneath the gum and bone.

Why Should I Remove My Wisdom Teeth? When you do not have enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to fully erupt, a number of problems can arise. Although impacted wisdom teeth can push in any direction, they often grow forward and push against the adjacent molar. This constant pressure can produce pain and may cause tooth movement. It may also damage the bone support of the healthy second molar teeth.

In addition to pain, other problems with wisdom teeth include infection, swelling or inflammation of tissue surrounding the teeth, and crowding of your teeth. Many problems with wisdom teeth can occur with few or no symptoms, so there can be damage without you knowing it.

The most serious problem with impacted wisdom is when the sac in which the tooth develops fills with fluid and enlarges to form a cyst. A cyst can cause permanent damage to adjacent teeth, jawbone, and nerves. Left untreated, a tumor may develop which requires a complicated surgical procedure to correct the problem.

As wisdom teeth develop, their roots become longer and the jawbone more dense, thus as a person grows older it becomes more difficult to remove wisdom teeth and complications become more frequent. As patients age, there is an increased chance of other side effects including infection, decay, damage to adjacent teeth or bone, development of cysts or tumors, or nerve damage. Younger patients tolerate removal of their wisdom teeth better and recover faster.

For these reasons, it is recommended to have your wisdom teeth removed while you are younger, even if they are not yet causing obvious problems. Please call our office at Grass Valley Office Phone Number 530-272-3111 if you have any questions regarding wisdom teeth or to schedule a consultation appointment.