If you are a parent of a teen, their dentist or orthodontist has likely discussed the subject of their wisdom teeth removal. Perhaps you never experienced negative side effects from your wisdom teeth, so you haven’t considered wisdom teeth removal for your child. You may wonder why this tooth extraction has become a rite of passage. At Lovett Dental Heights, we focus on creating healthy smiles for a lifetime. Thus, we offer services for oral surgery, including wisdom tooth removal. Wisdom teeth can cause serious problems, and removing them before these problems start can help your child’s teeth and gums stay healthy.
Why Do I Have to Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
If your teen recently underwent orthodontic treatment such as braces, your orthodontist may have already recommended scheduling a wisdom tooth extraction. Usually, this takes place within a year or two of braces removal. Wisdom teeth are the largest molars in the human mouth. They disrupt the bite and alignment of existing teeth when allowed to erupt and grow to their full size. For teens who have recently undergone orthodontic treatment, the risk of misalignment, if wisdom teeth emerge, increases. If you’re the parent of a teen who paid for the expensive years of orthodontic treatment and retainers, wisdom teeth present a risk of your teen needing further expensive orthodontic correction.
If you’ve wondered why there is a trend for teens to have their wisdom teeth removed by the time they’re 18 years old or even younger, their age has much to do with it. Removing wisdom teeth from adolescent patients allows your oral surgeon to quickly and easily perform the surgery because the root systems of the wisdom teeth are not fully developed. This makes the surgery faster, less invasive, and allows your teen to heal faster.
Wisdom teeth surgery is an option for adult patients who have emerged teeth and developed root systems, but the surgery is more involved and can create a larger pain profile for the patient since the roots of the teeth can grow close to or even become entangled with critical facial nerves or invade adjacent sinus cavities.
What Can Happen if I Don’t Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Many adults seek wisdom teeth removal because they develop problems later in life due to the wisdom teeth that emerged, grew, and developed roots deep in the jaw and facial structures. These problems can range from impacted roots, facial nerve entanglement, and chronic sinus infections, among others. Other adults suffer from problems with their jaw, bite, or chewing due to the size of their emerged wisdom teeth and the extra strain on their jaw and surrounding muscle systems.
Contact Lovett Dental Heights
Taking the preventive step of removing wisdom teeth when you are in late adolescence prevents aggravation and serious medical problems later in life. Most adolescents heal faster than adults, making the teenage years an ideal time in life to undergo this short, oral surgery.
Don’t risk your teen’s beautiful smile or take a chance on later health issues in life due to emerged wisdom teeth. If you’re searching for the leading practitioners of oral surgery, call Lovett Dental Heights today at 832-767-2210 for more information.
