For many of us, the removal of wisdom teeth is a rite of passage. It's something that we may have seen friends or family go through, and in many cases it's associated with the transition from childhood to adulthood – with the procedure commonly occurring between the ages of 17 and 21. This is where the name comes from, as by that age most of us have gained some small measure of what could be termed 'wisdom'.
Of course, not everybody has their wisdom teeth taken out. This could be for a number of different reasons, and in some cases there are people born without them. In other instances, people simply forego the operation, and while this doesn't always result in problems later down the track, there can be a few side effects worth considering. In this article, we'll take a look at three of the potential issues you might face if you elect to keep your wisdom teeth.
Some can remain blissfully oblivious to what's going on at the back of their mouth.
1. Pain
One of the primary reasons why people visit a dentist for wisdom teeth removal is because they are experiencing pain. This doesn't always happen, and some can remain blissfully oblivious to what's going on at the back of their mouth. For others, the teeth become impacted, coming in contact with bone, gums or other teeth, causing an ache.
2. Jaw damage
If there are wisdom teeth in your mouth that need to be removed but are left in, their emergence can result in structural damage to the surrounding jawbone. This could be due to decay or overcrowding, but in more extreme cases, it's possible for cysts to develop. These fluid-filled sacs can hollow out the jaw, which in turn may result in damage to nearby nerves. If this is the case, your wisdom teeth will need to be removed immediately.
3. Reversing dental work
Not all of the effects of wisdom teeth are painful or severely damaging. In some cases, the problems can be as simple as a reversal of all the good dental work that has been done over the years. Braces are a great example, and many children have these taken off at some stage before their wisdom teeth are removed. If you allow these new teeth to come in and move the existing ones out of position, the beautiful smile produced by braces can be compromised and in extreme cases ruined, so it's well worth keeping an eye out to ensure that pearly white grin is kept in great shape.
For more information on the removal of wisdom teeth, get in touch with City Dentists today.