W I S D O M T E E T H
Wisdom teeth( third molars) typically emerge between ages 17 and 25, though they can begin making their presence felt earlier.
The signs are often unmistakable: a dull ache or pressure at the very back of the jaw, occasional swelling of the gum over the partially erupted tooth, and sometimes difficulty opening the mouth fully. This is the wisdom tooth trying to push through, and the experience ranges from completely painless to genuinely miserable depending on how much space is available.
The problem is that most modern jaws simply don ' t have room for wisdom teeth to erupt correctly.
When there ' s insufficient space, the tooth becomes impacted— stuck below or partially through the gumline at an angle. Impacted wisdom teeth are prone to infection( pericoronitis), can put pressure on adjacent teeth, and in some cases can contribute to decay or cyst formation.
Not everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed— some people have adequate space and their wisdom teeth erupt cleanly and function normally.
But for many teenagers and young adults, extraction is the most straightforward path to preventing ongoing problems.
We will monitor their development from the mid-teens with x-rays, and recommend removal if the clinical picture warrants it.
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