How Do You Know When to Get Your Wisdom Teeth Out?

Find out if it’s time to have your wisdom teeth extracted.

Many people wonder, “Why do we have teeth that we just have to get pulled anyway?” This is a great question and one that experts are still trying to determine. Some believe that these teeth were helpful for our ancestors to tear apart raw meat, vegetables and roots since they didn’t have knives or cutlery. Of course, their jaws were probably larger and able to accommodate that extra set of molars; however, today many people are turning to our Fayetteville, GA, dentist Dr. Jeff Kendrick to have their wisdom teeth removed.

Why do wisdom teeth need to be removed?

While there are some people who won’t need to have these molars removed, most people will need to. Luckily, we don’t need these molars anymore because we have other methods for being able to soften foods, from cutting them into bite-sized pieces to boiling and steaming.

Of course, as our methods for cooking and eating have changed our bodies have also changed over the centuries. Our jawbones are now smaller than those of our ancestors, which means that 32 teeth are just a little too many. Luckily, we don’t need those wisdom teeth in order to eat properly. The bad news is that because there isn’t enough room for wisdom teeth to erupt they are often impacted, which means that they only partially emerge through the gums. This can lead to a variety of problems such as:

• Increased risk for cavities or gum disease
• Increased risk for infection
• Damage to neighboring teeth
• Shifting teeth and misalignments (e.g. crowding; spaces between teeth)

How do I know that my wisdom teeth will need to come out?

If you’re visiting your Fayetteville, GA, general dentist every six months for checkups, as you should, then we will be able to take X-rays once a year to monitor the progress of your wisdom teeth, which usually developing around the teen years. Of course, you may want to schedule a consultation with us if you or your teen’s wisdom teeth begin to cause:

• Pain and irritation
• Gum inflammation
• Trouble eating
• A cyst to form around the wisdom tooth
• Symptoms of a cavity
• Crowding or the rest of your teeth to shift out of place

Whether you have questions about a wisdom teeth extraction or you want to find out if you need to have your wisdom teeth removed, call your dentist Dr. Jeffery Kendrick at Heritage Dental Associates in Fayetteville, GA, today to learn more.