An oral surgeon usually removes wisdom teeth because they have a number of side effects that can affect a person's well-being and quality of life. Extracting these teeth can prevent a range of health problems, improve quality of life and preserve optimal oral function. Generally, wisdom teeth are only removed if they cause issues or are likely to do so in the future. Removing wisdom teeth has no scientifically proven health benefits that won't cause any problems.
In addition, getting rid of wisdom teeth is often unpleasant and can cause side effects. The average adult's mouth can contain 28 teeth. An additional set of molars that try to make room can be problematic and cause dental overcrowding. When there are too many teeth in the dental arch, the teeth slowly misalign to try to make room. Extracting wisdom teeth can reduce the likelihood of needing orthodontic appliances or greatly reduce the alignment problems that future orthodontic treatment seeks to correct.
The wisdom teeth are the last molars that grow in the mouth. They are found in the back of the mouth, making them difficult to clean. This insufficient cleaning causes tooth decay and gum infections. Removing wisdom teeth will allow you to have more space to better clean your back teeth. Some dentists remove healthy molars to prevent problems later on.
As you age, the bones in your mouth harden. This makes teeth more difficult to extract. Impacted wisdom teeth (wisdom teeth stuck in the gums or bone) are exposed by incisions, allowing the surgeon to access them properly. Wisdom teeth can fully exit through the gum tissue, come out partially or be impacted, meaning that the tooth is trapped under the gums. Nowadays, oral surgery to remove wisdom teeth is common practice, almost a rite of passage for young adults.
The sooner your wisdom teeth are removed, the sooner you can avoid oral health problems. We've put together a list of five main advantages of wisdom tooth extraction so that you can better understand why this procedure is beneficial and why not treating wisdom teeth can be risky. By removing your wisdom teeth, you protect your oral health by preventing a range of health problems from arising. People who have crooked incisors (front teeth) or small jaws sometimes worry that their teeth will pop out of place even more if their wisdom teeth grow outside the gum. As a result, wisdom teeth are generally considered vestigial structures (parts of the human body that have become unnecessary).
If you're considering having your dentist remove your wisdom teeth, here are some of the benefits of doing so:
- Reduce dental overcrowding: Extracting wisdom teeth can reduce dental overcrowding and prevent misalignment of other teeth.
- Prevent future orthodontic treatment: Removing wisdom teeth can reduce the need for orthodontic appliances or greatly reduce alignment problems that future orthodontic treatment seeks to correct.
- Improve oral hygiene: By removing wisdom teeth, you will have more space to better clean your back teeth.
- Prevent tooth decay and gum infections: Wisdom teeth are difficult to clean due to their location in the back of the mouth, which can lead to tooth decay and gum infections.
- Reduce risk of impacted wisdom teeth: Impacted wisdom teeth (wisdom teeth stuck in the gums or bone) can be exposed by incisions and removed before they cause any further damage.
Your dentist will be able to provide more information about how this procedure could benefit you and what risks may be associated with it.
