Why Can’t I Keep My Wisdom?

Blog Post on Wisdom Teeth Written by Neo Dental Staff

Wisdom teeth are the third and last molars on each side of the upper and lower jaws. They are also the final teeth to erupt and usually come in when a person is in their late teens or early twenties. When wisdom teeth emerge partially or come in crooked (which regularly happens because there is not enough room left in the mouth to accommodate them), this can lead to painful crowding and disease.

How Do I Know if I Have Wisdom Teeth?

Ask your dentist about the positioning of your wisdom teeth. He or she may take an X-ray periodically to evaluate for the presence and alignment of your wisdom teeth. Your dentist may also decide to send you to an oral surgeon for further evaluation.

Your dentist or oral surgeon may recommend that your wisdom teeth be extracted even before problems develop. This is done to avoid a more painful or more complicated extraction that might have to be done a few years later. Removal is easier in young people, when the wisdom teeth roots are not yet fully developed and the bone is less dense. In older people, recovery and healing time tend to be longer.