While most kids get all of their permanent teeth before they become a teenager, their wisdom teeth won’t fully emerge until they reach adulthood. In many instances, however, these teeth are surgically extracted before they erupt. There are several reasons why a patient may need to remove Wisdom Teeth in Short Hills NJ.
Space Issues
While no one truly knows why people have wisdom teeth, it’s often hypothesized that this third set of molars was helpful before modern dentistry. Even as early as a century ago, it was common for adults to lose most of their teeth due to decay. Perhaps these teeth were designed to simply replace missing ones.
In today’s world of modern dentistry, wisdom teeth are usually not needed. Since most young adults still have the majority, if not all, of their teeth, there is simply no room for these extra molars. Lack of space is the most common reason for extracting Wisdom Teeth in Short Hills NJ.
Tooth Decay
The further back a tooth is located in the mouth, the more difficult it becomes to properly brush it. Wisdom teeth erupt at the very back of a person’s mouth. Even if the teeth have enough space to enter fully, the patient may struggle to effectively brush them.
When wisdom teeth become decayed, it’s usually easier to extract the teeth instead of trying to fill them. Untreated decay may also spread to healthy teeth, resulting in more cavities and time spent in the dental chair. Patients without wisdom teeth often have fewer problems with decay.
Orthodontics
More and more people are correcting their teeth through the use of orthodontics. Even after teeth have been treated with braces, they risk relapse if proper precautions are not taken. This is one reason why most orthodontists recommend surgically extracting wisdom teeth before beginning treatment.
Wisdom teeth are notorious for pushing against surrounding teeth as they erupt through the gum tissue. This pressure may be enough to push teeth out of alignment. Having wisdom teeth pulled before getting braces is the only way to prevent this from happening.
People who still have their wisdom teeth should schedule an appointment with Westfield Oral Surgery to see if extraction is recommended. Removing wisdom teeth may prevent a variety of dental problems from occurring down the road.
