Most of us get our wisdom teeth at some point during adolescence or early adulthood. The problem with these third molars is that the jawbone usually does not have sufficient space for them. When left in place, wisdom teeth often lead to long-term complications. Meanwhile, proactive wisdom teeth removal can be a meaningful investment in your long-term comfort, convenience, and quality of life.
Patients often ask: Do the wisdom teeth have to come out? Or are there situations in which they can be left in place? In other words, is wisdom teeth removal recommended for everyone or just for some?
The Problem with Wisdom Teeth
For most people, the emergence of wisdom teeth leads to various potential health problems that can threaten oral health. These potential problems include shifting and crowded teeth, infected teeth and gums, cysts, and bone loss. Preventive wisdom teeth removal is recommended for almost every patient, as it provides a way to sidestep these risks altogether and preserve the long-term integrity of your smile.
With that recommendation in mind, there are rare occasions when wisdom teeth emerge into the smile without causing health problems. An estimated two percent of the total United States population can keep their wisdom teeth. So, while there are cases where wisdom teeth removal turns out to be unnecessary, these cases are far from common.
As such, it is important that you visit an oral surgeon like Dr. Streelman of Mercer Island Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery for a wisdom teeth removal consultation. He will carefully look for all signs and symptoms of whether your wisdom teeth will harm your smile. In the exceedingly rare event that your smile is not harmed by the emergence of wisdom teeth, he may not recommend the procedure after all. But for the vast majority of patients, wisdom teeth removal will be recommended as a preventative measure, allowing you to avoid more serious dental complications later in life.
Discover the Benefits of Wisdom Teeth Removal
To find out more about your need for wisdom teeth removal and about the benefits of moving ahead with this procedure, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Mercer Island Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Visit our wisdom teeth procedure page for more details about the procedure.