People of any age can undergo dental surgery to remove their wisdom teeth. Many people are still in the dark when it comes to wisdom tooth removal and do not fully understand why, how, or when wisdom teeth should be removed. Generally speaking, there is a recommended window between the ages of 18 and 24 when most dentist would suggest extraction. This age range gives you a general idea of when most wisdom teeth are removed, however the time of removal can be drastically different for each person. In fact, not everyone will even ever get their wisdom teeth removed! Some people can live a happy dental life without ever removing their wisdom teeth.
To give you a little more information about wisdom teeth, let’s explain why we have them in the first place! Wisdom teeth are thought to be an outdated, but previously very useful, aspect of our human anatomy. In ancient x, with Prehistoric diets, a third set of molars would be very useful to our ancestors. With a lack of proper dental care, and a more rough diet as well as lifestyle, the other molars may have fallen out already by the time wisdom teeth came in, making them extremely vital. However, today, with expert dental care, we typically keep all of our teeth for almost our entire lives! This makes wisdom teeth generally unnecessary, and sometimes harmful.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
One of the biggest issues associated with wisdom teeth is called impaction. Wisdom teeth develop at the back of your jaw bones. this may be one factor that contributes to the typical misalignment of wisdom teeth. Many times, they erupt from the gum line at an angle compared to your other teeth. These impacted wisdom teeth press against your already existing teeth causing further misalignment and even severe pain. In this case, or preferably before this happens, wisdom teeth should be removed without question.
The Extraction Process
The extraction process is typically very simple, but it largely depends on the condition of your wisdom teeth. In some cases, they can simply be pulled like any other tooth. In other cases however, an incision may need to be made and anesthesia given so that the wisdom teeth can be pulled out in chunks. This typically happens before a wisdom tooth erupts from the gum line but can present a very clear and real danger to the rest of your teeth.
The Best Age for Wisdom Teeth Extraction
If wisdom tooth extraction is on your mind or on the mind of a family member, we at Family Care Dental in Mesa, AZ are here to help. We know that tooth extraction can sound painful or uncomfortable, which is why we do all we can to ensure that our patients are always comfortable and happy. You’ll be excited to visit our office again and again! Give us a call or send us an email today to set up a consultation appointment!