Should They Stay or Should They Go: The Truths About Wisdom Teeth Extractions

Have you been advised by your dentist to have your wisdom teeth extracted? Do you feel that maybe it’s time you got rid of your wisdom teeth, only because all your friends have gone through the procedure and you feel like you should too? If you’re an average young adult, chances are you have.

Today, wisdom teeth extraction is pretty much like a rite of passage when venturing into adulthood, but is it really necessary?

What decides whether or not your wisdom teeth get to stay in their position, safe and sound within your mouth, or they get removed? Forcibly extracted by the dentist?? (Disclaimer: that was deliberately made to sound more horrifying than it is, don’t be scared, dental extractions are a completely normal procedure – really not as scary as it seems)

For years, the wisdom teeth, or the third molars have been regarded as useless; best removed before one ventures off to college to avoid any unnecessary aches and pains when away from home.The wisdom teeth were more or less extracted even before they emerged within the mouth, or before they could create any issues.

It was only right; more often than not the third molars are stuck beneath the gum, completely or partially covered by the oral mucosa.

Today, however, after considerable research, it has been found that a vast majority of wisdom teeth extractions are completely unnecessary. Of all the cases of wisdom teeth extractions that are treated per year by a dentist, on average, only about 30 percent of those are actually justified because the teeth were actually troublesome. The rest of the cases were an easy way for dentists to earn a substantial amount of money.

The possible issues that require immediate removal of the third molars include the following:

• Crowding of surrounding teeth due to lack of space as the teeth emerge.
• Partial impaction of a wisdom tooth, where it is stuck peeking through the gums creating a small pocket for food to get stuck in that eventually becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Pericoronitis- the fancy word for inflammation and infection of the gum covering the impacted tooth.
• Cavitations and decay due to difficulty in maintaining dental hygiene at the back of the mouth.
• Sinus problems such as sinus pain and pressure.
• Jaw immobility
• Over-eruption of the top wisdom teeth when lower ones are absent
• Angulated eruption of the wisdom teeth, causing unnecessary damage to the adjacent teeth.

Don’t insist on subjecting yourself to a wisdom tooth extraction – which is in all seriousness a true surgical procedure- just because you think it’s something that needs to be done. The truth is unless the wisdom teeth are creating real problems for you, there really don’t have to go.

In case you think you might need your wisdom tooth extracted, feel free to contact Gainesville dental team. Call today or book an appointment online.