So many of us around our senior year are told by our dentists we need to 

get our wisdom teeth extracted.  Why do so many of us then wait?  Many 

people don’t totally understand the risks of opting to keep their wisdom 

teeth. When is the best time to extract?

 

When we choose to keep our wisdom teeth- assuming they are impacted 

or not erupting properly (or won’t erupt properly).  We are putting ourselves 

at risk for dental infections in the future.

 

What type of dental infections?  When a tooth only partially erupts or not at all it is causing the most issue with the tooth it is touching (your 2nd molar).  It is pretty much impossible to clean that area- so this leads to decay, gum disease, bone loss between those teeth and potentially the loss of not only the wisdom tooth but also the molar it is leaning against.  There are also issues of cysts developing around the wisdom tooth.

 

The longer you wait to get your wisdom teeth extracted the more complications can develop post operatively.  Why?  Simply because the tooth is growing- they start growing in our early teens- and extracting then is simple- they are little tiny teeth then with barely developed roots- the longer you wait- the longer the roots get, thus creating more complications.  Also the older we are, our bodies heal slower so that creates other issues.  This can create more issues after surgery with the bone healing and the gum tissue totally healing.  Also people that opt to keep their wisdom teeth- even if they “seem” fine- they have silent periodontal infections going on.  All dental infections directly affect our bodies- we know so much now that dental infections (both decay and gum) lead to heart disease, pregnancy complications, stroke and diabetes complications and other health issues.  (not to mention bad breath and dental pain, difficulty chewing and enjoying the foods we love!).

 

So- the best time to get your wisdom teeth removed?  Before your senior year of high school!  You heal very quickly, don’t have to miss work, have your parents insurance (and their income for any extra costs) and the complications after surgery are almost 0.0% or non existent (and what better time when you live with your mom to baby you after your surgery- great time to milk it for pity!!!).  If you did decide to wait- don’t wait any longer.  Time is of the essence!  You are not too old ever to get those wisdom teeth out if they need to (some of us are lucky and get to keep those bad boys..every once in awhile people do have room for them and they erupt properly…). 

 

In the mean time….We wish you the best for your dental and physical and emotional health! Any questions please call our office for a consult about your wisdom teeth today!