Most of us simply weren’t born with wisdom teeth that are well-suited to our smiles. The unfortunate truth is that we’re likely to develop inconvenient, and even uncomfortable, problems when our wisdom teeth start to come in.
Our Toluca Lake wisdom tooth dentists encourage patients to talk to their dentists about the best way to deal with their wisdom teeth; in many cases, timely extraction can help people avoid a number of oral health problems down the road.
Your wisdom teeth are the last of your teeth to come in—they’ll likely start to push through in your late teens or early twenties. The first clue that your wisdom teeth are becoming active may be a feeling of tightness or fullness in the back of your mouth, behind your molars. You may find that your gum tissue is cut or torn in these spots, as your wisdom teeth are attempting to break through.
Because wisdom teeth are so hard to reach, it is very difficult for patients to effectively clean their smiles while their wisdom teeth are intact. Your wisdom teeth, and the gum tissue surrounding your teeth, may accumulate bacterial plaque and tartar. Because bacteria release unpleasant odors, many patients who are dealing with problematic wisdom teeth suffer from chronic bad breath.
Finally, wisdom teeth can put pressure on your existing smile, and cause your teeth to shift. So, if you notice changes to your bite or dental alignment, wisdom teeth may be to blame.
Wisdom teeth that have emerged above the gumline can often be pulled, like any other tooth. Teeth that are only partially emerged, and those that are impacted in the jawbone tissue, will need to be extracted surgically. Once your wisdom teeth are taken out, your jawbone and gum tissue will heal over the extraction site.
If you think you’re dealing with wisdom tooth related issues, our Toluca Lake dentists are here to help—give us a call to schedule a consultation!