Are you a young adult experiencing jaw pain or a persistent ache towards the back of your mouth? If so, there’s a chance that your wisdom teeth are growing in. Unfortunately, these late arrivals are notorious for causing issues in their attempt to erupt from your gumline and often require extraction.
Getting wisdom teeth taken out is so common that it’s often considered a rite of passage from youth into adulthood. However, if you still have yours and they’re not causing problems, it’s natural to wonder whether removing them is necessary. Continue reading to learn more about these last molars and why they’re so frequently extracted!
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
These pearly whites appear behind your other molars, usually when you’re between 17 and 25 years old. It’s believed they were an evolutionary adaptation our ancestors developed for survival. Ancient peoples who subsisted on a diet of tough, chewy meats, plants, nuts, and berries likely needed the additional chompers to compensate for any that had become damaged or decayed. Today, we rely on utensils and eat a much softer diet containing cooked foods, so these extra teeth have no practical purpose and are considered a vestigial feature.
Most people have four extra molars, one for each quadrant of the mouth. That said, some folks only grow one or two, while others don’t have any at all!
Why Are Wisdom Teeth Extracted?
Our ancestors had longer jaws that could accommodate wisdom teeth later in life, but over the centuries, our mouths became less protruded and developed arches. That means there’s not much room in your jawbone for these molars to be accommodated safely.
As a result, wisdom teeth are notorious for causing several potential issues, including:
- Impaction. They often grow at improper angles and become trapped within the jaw, causing a cyst or infection to form. If left unaddressed, this can damage your jawbone or the roots of neighboring teeth.
- Partial eruption. There’s a chance these molars will only partially clear your gumline, and because the back of your mouth is harder to keep clean, they tend to trap plenty of food debris and bacteria. This increases the likelihood of gum disease and cavities that can impact your jaw.
- Overcrowding. These large molars are infamous for shoving nearby teeth out of the way as they push through your gum line. You could end up with an overcrowded or crooked smile that impacts both your oral health and your appearance.
In these instances, extracting the troublesome tooth is often the best way to prevent problems from progressing.
If you’re unsure whether your jaw pain is related to wisdom teeth, the best way to find out is to contact your dentist! They can examine your mouth and take X-rays as needed to determine and treat the cause of your discomfort.
About the Practice
At Richardson Oral Surgery Center, you benefit from two skilled experts who work together to provide a range of top-tier surgical dental procedures. With 20+ years of combined experience, Dr. Ahn and Dr. Cooper can enhance your quality of life by improving your oral health. They offer several amenities to increase patient comfort, including sedatives to help you feel calm and relaxed. Then, they utilize state-of-the-art technology to deliver accurate, long-lasting results. If you’re concerned about wisdom teeth, you can request a consultation on the website or call (469) 991-7866.