Wisdom teeth can be tricky to keep clean for some, some don’t even get them in and others are able to keep them all their lives. But a lot of times they need to be removed for various reasons (see below for examples). Today we have an example of one that needed to be taken out.
The X-ray above is a perfect example of a wisdom tooth that should have been taken out many years ago, specifically during the teenage years. This patient is now in their mid-thirties. As a result of this partially impacted wisdom tooth, the tooth IN FRONT of the wisdom tooth has a big cavity. Now instead of just losing the wisdom tooth, this patient needs to have BOTH teeth extracted to remedy this painful situation.
Helpful Tips About Wisdom Teeth
You can KEEP your wisdom teeth if:
- There is enough room in your jawbone for them to come in straight.
- You can access them to keep them clean.
- If the tooth is positioned so far down in the jawbone where it is unlikely to ever cause a problem. These teeth are monitored over the patient’s lifetime.
You can NOT keep your wisdom teeth if:
- There is inadequate room in your jawbone for the tooth to come in normally.
- You cannot access the tooth to keep it clean.
- The tooth is not positioned correctly, making it likely to either get infected or to potentially cause damage to the adjacent teeth.
Contact Us for More Information
If you have questions about your or your children’s wisdom teeth, please contact us to schedule a consultation. We will review your options and discuss the best recommendation moving forward.