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Your dentist is committed to helping you to retain your natural teeth for as long as possible, and there are lots of ways in which they will do this. Nevertheless, there are instances whereby a dental extraction is the best course of action for your long-term dental health and wellbeing. When this happens, your dentist will explain to you exactly why an extraction is needed, what will happen and what your options are for potentially replacing your missing tooth after (if applicable).
The case for Extracting your wisdom teeth
Of all the teeth that you could potentially have extracted, it is your wisdom teeth which are significantly more likely to be removed. The wisdom teeth get their name from the fact that they are the very last adult teeth to arrive, usually not erupting until our late teens or even early twenties. Most people have four wisdom teeth, one in each corner arch of their teeth. However, since these large, square teeth come through so late, often by the time that they start to erupt there is little to no space left in the arch to accommodate them. If this happens, it can trigger problems including:
Common problems associated with wisdom teeth
Pain and infection where they are trying to push through, one corner at a time
Retained eruption, where they simply can’t come through but cause you pain and other issue since your body can’t help but try and push them out
Erupting at odd angles
Disrupting other teeth
6 Benefits of extracting your wisdom teeth
A wisdom tooth extraction is more common than any other type of dental extraction. There are a variety of reasons why your dentist may recommend that you have your wisdom teeth removed, often before you have even experienced any problems. Some of the key benefits of wisdom teeth extraction include:
- Prevent inflammation and infection
- Stop problems affecting neighboring teeth
- Prevent cysts and tumors
- Better oral health
- Extraction due to dental decay or damage
1) Prevent Inflammation and infection
Wisdom teeth are well known for causing gum inflammation and infection which can lead to pain and the need for antibiotics. Removing the wisdom teeth early enough can prevent the need for Emergency teeth removal.
2) Stop problems affecting neighboring teeth
If there is no adequate space for your wisdom teeth, neighboring teeth are often pushed and forced out of the way. This can cause them to become overlapped and crooked and sometimes damage the adjacent tooth in case of impacted wisdom tooth – something which is very frustrating if you have already had orthodontic work to correct misalignment problems. Sometimes damage can also occur to neighboring teeth that then requires functional dental work to fix them.
3) Prevent Cysts and Tumors
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause tumors and cysts to develop in the jaw bone. This can lead to the development of problems with the temporomandibular joint or TMJ that requires specialist treatment.
4) Better oral health
Wisdom Teeth can put your your future dental hygiene. Because they are located at the back of the mouth, limited space make is difficult to reach and clean (brush and floss) properly. These makes dental decay and periodontal disease more likely, both of which can have a significant effect on your overall health and well being.
5) Extraction due to dental decay or damage
Although your dentist will avoid it wherever possible, sometimes it is necessary to extract a tooth that is severely decayed or damaged beyond repair. Doing so will help prevent infection and damage to neighboring teeth which could lead to more widespread dental problems.
6) Less Crowding and shifting
The Wisdom tooth trying to erupt puts pressure on the rest of our teeth which in turn causes alignment issues. Your teeth may begin to shift and become overcrowded due to limited space in an attempt to allow the wisdom teeth to erupt fully. Crowding in the oral cavity increases the need for orthodontic treatment.
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