Many people assume that once you’ve moved into your late teen years, the teeth you see are the only teeth you’ll ever get. But there’s a likely possibility that isn’t true.
Your wisdom teeth can still break through your gums, or erupt, even in early adulthood.
Knowing more about your wisdom teeth and how they behave can make it easier to deal with problems that arise and the need for extraction.
Wisdom teeth are the third molars in the very back of your mouth. They may not need to be removed if they are:
- Healthy
- Grown in completely or fully erupted
- Positioned correctly and biting properly with their opposing teeth
- Able to be cleaned as part of daily hygiene practices
Many times, however, wisdom teeth don’t have room to grow properly and can cause problems. Erupting wisdom teeth can grow in at various angles in the jaw and sometimes even horizontally. Problems can include wisdom teeth that:
- Completely remain hidden within the gums. If they aren’t able to emerge normally, wisdom teeth become trapped or impacted within your jaw. This can result in infection or even cause a cyst that can damage other teeth roots or bone support.
- Emerge partially through the gums. Because this area is hard to see and clean, wisdom teeth that partially emerge create a passageway that can become a magnet for bacteria that cause gum disease and oral infection.
- Crowd nearby teeth. If wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to come in properly, they may crowd or damage nearby teeth.
Your Dental Health
When it comes to your health, both that of your mouth and your overall well-being, trust in the dentists at Gentle Dental Family Care. The best way to know if you need to remove your wisdom teeth is by visiting your dentist for an exam. Your dentist will be able to tell when/if it is necessary to remove your wisdom teeth. Gentle Dental Family Care is the best dental practice in the Kew Gardens, Queens, NY 11415 area and we are open on Sundays as well as late evenings. For a teeth cleaning or exam, we recommend coming into the office to book an appointment with one of our talented dental professionals. All new patients may also take advantage of our $99 Cleaning Special that includes an exam and x-rays. To set up your appointment give us a call at (718) 849-9797. We also welcome walk-ins, to accommodate patients with a busy schedule. We hope to see you soon!
