Scholars believe that wisdom teeth exist to help us eat raw vegetables, meats, and roots. However, these teeth are not always functional and can crowd your mouth to make problems for you in the future. The roots of wisdom teeth do not embed themselves fully until the age of sixteen to nineteen. It is important to have them evaluated during that time because as one gets older, the bones in the mouth become harder making it difficult to remove wisdom teeth. Here are some common reasons why you need to visit your dentist in Mississauga regarding your wisdom teeth.

Irritation and pain

Wisdom teeth can cause pains and aches at times. If you experience such pains, get in touch with your dentist in Mississauga to remedy the situation. They will be able to establish if it is the wisdom teeth or something different causing you the pain. Whenever you experience irritation or pain, the dentist will not always decide to extract your wisdom teeth. The pain may correct itself over time, and extraction will not be necessary.

Improper growth

Sometimes, wisdom teeth take too much space in the mouth as they grow in. Dentists cannot use braces to straighten these teeth so when they overcrowd in your mouth, there is no dental procedure that can make the teeth fit together. The only thing they can do is to extract the teeth. Your Mississauga dentist will be able to determine which of your wisdom teeth need to come out. Prior to wisdom teeth growing in, there are usually twenty-eight teeth in the mouth. After they grow in, there are thirty-two. Since there may not be enough room in everyone’s mouth to fit the extra teeth extraction of some or all wisdom teeth becomes necessary.

Cysts forming around your teeth

You may notice a sac next to your wisdom teeth known as a cyst filled with fluid. If unattended, it can destroy your bones, roots, and adjacent structures. In some cases, it may become too severe and turn into a tumor that will necessitate surgery. Only your dentist will know what to do in such a situation.

Difficulty eating

If you experience any pain while chewing, this may be enough reason to have your wisdom teeth extracted. Food could be stuck in between your gums and the top of your teeth. This could be a source of problems if you cannot access the back of your mouth to clean well enough while brushing. Checking with a dentist to find the right products to fix the problem is the best way to handle such a situation. If there is no other solution, extraction may be your only choice.

Crooked teeth

If your wisdom teeth grow in crooked, they can make the other teeth move over and at times, they may even damage the other teeth. Extraction of wisdom teeth can prevent damage from occurring to your teeth. While there are a few theories that explain why wisdom teeth tend to grow out sideways or crooked, most jaws are not big enough to accommodate a third molar, which may bump against the others and cause it to grow sideways.

Swollen gums

At times when wisdom teeth begin to grow in, they can create a flap of gum tissue that will live next to the tooth. This gum tissue can trap tiny particles of bacteria and food thus making tissue surrounding the teeth inflamed and difficult to clean. This is what dentists call pericoronitis and it can occur around wisdom teeth that are still underneath your gums. You dentist can perform the procedure under general or local anesthetic. Depending on the severity of your case and how many teeth your dentist will have to extract, the procedure can take from one to several hours. If you have to undergo surgery, you will have to avoid blood thinners and aspirin before the surgery.