The third set of molars known as wisdom tooth grow between the ages of 16 and 20. They are not always functional but when infected causes other dental problems.
Wisdom teeth also known as third molars usually appears between the age of 17-25 which is known as the age of wisdom. Wisdom teeth are extra molars which generally have no use in today’s time since we have softer diets and better oral care. In earlier times, third molars were meant to replace the decayed molars so people could easily chew raw, hard foods. According to orthodontists in Rockport, now these teeth are much of a problem rather than being helpful and are considered ‘extra’.
If you are in your late teens or early twenties, you might be wondering how do you know whether you need your wisdom teeth to be extracted or not. For quite a few lucky ones, wisdom teeth might not cause any trouble, pain, or discomfort.
Most of us, however, have to take the not-so-easy way and need to get the third molars pulled out sooner or later. The best time to go for wisdom teeth removal is between the age of 16 to 20 when the wisdom teeth are not strongly anchored and the bones are not so hard. Here are some most common signs that indicate that you need to start looking for a ‘wisdom teeth removal dentist near me’ to get your wisdom teeth pulled.
Impacted Teeth
For many, the wisdom teeth grow in an impacted manner which means it erupts at an angle. Impacted wisdom teeth do not have enough space to emerge completely from the gums and grow normally.
Impacted wisdom teeth could cause symptoms like:
Stiffness or Swelling in Jaw
Even if your wisdom teeth are not impacted they could cause problems if they have taken more of the limited space in the mouth. This leads to crowded teeth causing discomfort, pain, and stiffness. If you are experiencing stiffness or pain in the jaw, it is because your wisdom teeth are meddling with your normal molars causing problems like discomfort and eating difficulty.
Inflamed Gums
Even if third molars have emerged perfectly and aren’t causing any visible problems or discomfort, it could still be troublesome. Since your wisdom teeth are located far back in your mouth, it could be difficult to clean. Hence, this causes a buildup of food particles and plaque which allows bacteria into the gums, leading to infection. This will result in inflamed gums along with discomfort and tenderness.
Cyst in your mouth
When the sacs surrounding the crown of your teeth are filled with fluid, it leads to the development of a cyst in your mouth. If kept untreated, it could destroy roots, bones, and the surrounding structure and could also potentially develop into a tumour.
Wisdom tooth extraction is a very common dental procedure and that leads to health restoration. The majority of the people who have wisdom teeth need to get them extracted. We recommend to get your wisdom teeth evaluated during your regular dental appointments so that you would know when it needs to be removed and you won’t have to suffer.