Everybody knows somebody who has a horror wisdom teeth story, or at least that's how it seems when you discuss the subject of these teeth with others. During adulthood, the third set of molars, known as wisdom teeth, erupt (sometimes). As someone with a child who is getting closer to the time when wisdom teeth make an impact, you're wondering about the pros and cons of preventative dentistry to get them removed. Do you arrange for removal now? Or do you wait and see whether they are going to impact on your child's life? These are the pointers which will help you to make this decision.
When wisdom teeth break through the skin, they bring with them potential for issues. These issues include discomfort, pain, crowded jaw, damage to neighbouring teeth and potential gum disease. Taking the wisdom teeth eruption out of the equation, you also need to consider the age at which this change occurs. Wisdom teeth generally appear between 17 and 25 years of age. At this period of life, a person's immune and body systems are resilient and recover quickly from dental surgery. Leaving the wisdom teeth in place does run the risk of complications later in life. The body is older and finds it harder to bounce back from surgery and anesthesia.
While you are considering the benefits of taking the wisdom teeth out, you also need to think about the reasons why they should be left there.
The biggest reason not to remove the wisdom teeth as preventative dentistry is that some people don't have a negative experience when their wisdom teeth come through. Therefore, the argument is why mess with something that is not yet causing a problem.
However, the counter-argument to this is that wisdom teeth can become a big issue. Their location, for a start, means that they don't get brushed as well as the other teeth. Bad brushing leads to cavities. Another common problem is that when the wisdom teeth come in, they can push all the other teeth closer together if there is not enough room on the jaw. If you have already invested money into braces for your child, you're not going to be happy about that work being undone.
Talk to your child's dentist about their current situation and the potential need for preventative surgery to remove the wisdom teeth. They know your child's mouth well enough to give the most informed information on this matter.
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