For many people, having their wisdom teeth removed is just an expected part of life. However, this isn’t always the case for everyone. You want to make sure that you understand why you have wisdom teeth and how they are impacting your mouth before you decide to have them removed. Talking to your dentist can help with this process, but before that conversation, it helps to have some background information.
Why You Have Wisdom Teeth
First things first, you have to understand why you have wisdom teeth at all. Wisdom teeth don’t serve much of a purpose for modern humans, but they used to be important to our ancestors. Essentially, wisdom teeth used to be used for eating tougher foods that needed more processing before being swallowed. Now though, most people don’t actually have enough room in their mouth for their wisdom teeth to grow properly. This means that they can become painful and uncomfortable when they start to grow in.
Watching for Issues
When you are deciding whether to have your wisdom teeth removed, your best bet is to take time to watch for any potential problems. Some people will experience severe pain or feel like their teeth are tightly packed in their mouth. Wearing a retainer after you’ve had braces can help make room for wisdom teeth. If you have a missing molar, it is sometimes possible for your wisdom tooth to fill in that space in your mouth. If, however, you are experiencing issues with your wisdom teeth, you want to make sure that you get it taken care of as soon as you can.
The Process
It also helps to understand how the wisdom tooth removal would actually happen. Generally speaking it is a quick procedure that you won’t be awake for. The process will likely leave you with pain and swelling when it is over. You will also need to adjust your eating habits for a few days so you can protect your healing mouth. In many cases insurance will cover wisdom teeth removal, so you will want to check on that as well before you schedule the procedure.
Every person is unique, so you want to make sure that you make the right decision for your teeth. Talking with your dentist is a great place to start if you are thinking about removing your wisdom teeth. The more you understand the reasoning for wisdom tooth removal, the easier it will be for you to make your decision.
Check out this article on what you should know if you need to get braces as an adult!
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