With age comes wisdom, or at least wisdom teeth. Named this because they come out in the more mature years of 16-21. When they come in correctly, these teeth can help you chew. However, it is more likely that they grow incorrectly and you may want to get them remove.
A tooth that grows in incorrectly is when the tooth grows in at an angle (either toward the back of the mouth or the next tooth) or it could be that the tooth is trapped within the jawbone. As well as growing incorrectly, there are many other reasons for you to get your wisdom teeth extracted. An impacted tooth will need to be pulled if it causes pain, traps food, creates infection or gum disease, decays, or causes damage to a nearby tooth.
You may also have a preventative wisdom tooth extraction which will work to prevent future diseases because the teeth may still hold disease and it may be harder to clean.
Before you go into have your wisdom teeth removed you are going to want to know some details. Some questions you could ask include: How many teeth will be removed and where? What dental treatments will need following the extractions? How long is the procedure? And how long will it take to heal?
Before the surgery or pulling, you may need someone to drive you home. Although it is outpatient and minor, you may be disoriented and distracted. Be prepared to fill a subscription and follow some dietary restriction for a few days!
If you are experiencing pain, set up an appointment to have it looked at.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call.