When Do Wisdom Teeth Need To Be Removed?

Is it time for your teen to have their wisdom teeth extracted?

For the majority of teens (and sometimes adults, too!), getting wisdom teeth removed tends to just be a common part of growing up. In fact, around 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted each year. Our Fayetteville, GA, dentist Dr. Jeffery Kendrick at Heritage Dental Associates can easily determine when wisdom teeth need to come out.

Some people may never even notice any pain or discomfort when their wisdom teeth come in, so they may wonder why these teeth need to be removed in the first place. However, wisdom teeth can become impacted or get stuck. If you or your teen’s mouth is too small to make room for these molars, they could even grow in at an angle. This can ultimately cause damage to neighboring teeth. If you wait to have wisdom teeth removed, complications can occur including fractured teeth, severe bleeding, and numbness.

So, when might our Fayetteville, GA, dentist recommend a wisdom tooth extraction?

• If the wisdom tooth is causing pain, discomfort or other problems
• If the X-rays show future complications
• If the wisdom teeth are causing damage to other teeth
• If the teeth are causing damage to the jaw (this often occurs when cysts form around the wisdom tooth)
• If they cause sinus-related problems
• If they cause gum irritation and inflammation
• If they are causing infections
• If they are causing cavities
• If the wisdom teeth could impact the alignment of your teeth (this can be particularly disheartening for a teen who has already had braces to correct his or her smile)

Your teen should be seeing the dentist every six months for dental cleanings anyway, so at some point, your dentist will notice either through X-rays or through a regular exam that the wisdom teeth are coming in. While there is no set age, most wisdom teeth are removed between the ages of 18 to 24.

If it’s time for you or your teen to have their wisdom teeth removed in Fayetteville, GA, turn to Dr. Kendrick and his caring, gentle dental team here at Heritage Dental Associates for an extraction. To schedule a consultation, call us today at (770) 460-9795.