Wisdom teeth extraction: why is it needed and what to expect? East Gwillimbury dentist explains

Did you know that approximately five million people have their wisdom teeth removed each year? The wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and typically grow in during your late teens or early twenties. While some people never need their wisdom teeth extracted, in many cases, it is best to extract them. Read on to learn why wisdom teeth extraction might be needed and what to expect from our dentists at Harvest Hills Dental Care in East Gwillimbury.

Reasons why wisdom teeth might need to be extracted

In an ideal world, everyone’s wisdom teeth would come in straight and erupt correctly through the gums in a way that doesn’t affect the other teeth or bite. However, in many cases, one or more of these issues will occur:

• The wisdom teeth are impacted, which means that they don’t have sufficient room to grow in the mouth properly and, therefore, remain either fully or partially underneath the gums. When this occurs, it can cause a variety of problems, including damaging your other teeth, infections in your gums, and abscesses or cysts.
• Even if the wisdom teeth are able to erupt normally like other teeth, they can cause overcrowding problems and shift your other teeth or even your bite out of alignment.
• When there is insufficient space in the mouth for the wisdom teeth, it is difficult to clean your teeth properly and can lead to other oral health problems down the road, such as tooth decay or gum disease.

What to expect after wisdom teeth removal

In many cases, removing wisdom teeth is not any more complicated than other types of tooth extractions. We use the latest techniques and anesthetics to keep you or your child pain-free during the extraction process. We will take the time to walk through all of the after-care instructions you need for a comfortable and healthy recovery process. We will prescribe antibiotics and pain medications as needed and guide you on the types of foods to eat to prevent dry sockets and help the healing process.

In general, extracting wisdom teeth early on is better than later when they have had a chance to affect your oral health. To schedule an evaluation of you or your child’s wisdom teeth and determine whether they need to be extracted, call Harvest Hills Dental Care today at (365) 659-1008.

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