Your wisdom teeth are essentially molars from a time when our ancestors survived on a diet of crunchy foods and roots. Most people have four wisdom teeth. However, it is not uncommon for some people to have as many as six, while at the same time, some people never develop wisdom teeth at all.
Wisdom teeth usually start to emerge from the gums during late adolescence. Early signs that your wisdom teeth are starting to emerge includes a deep ache in the gums or rear of the jaw as the wisdom teeth begin to move.
Since there usually isn’t a lot of room in the back of your mouth, emerging wisdom teeth can sometimes cause crowding issues. This can even cause them to become impacted, leading to pain, infection and potentially damaging your molars.
Even if your wisdom teeth that emerge from the gums without any problems, they will still be cleaned to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. While it might be tempting to let them stay in the back of your mouth it can lead to issues later on. As you age your wisdom teeth can become partially fused to the jawbone. If you choose not to have them extracted later in life you may experience a much longer recovery time.
If you would like advice or a consultation about a possible extraction procedure, feel free to call us at 817.920.1488 to schedule an appointment.