Wisdom teeth: when is removal necessary?

Wisdom teeth are, as the name suggests, the final set of 4 molars that erupt later in life. They usually come in sometime between the ages of 17 and 25, although in some people they can come in even later or never emerge.

Removal of wisdom teeth is necessary in certain situations:

• When they come in crooked.
• When the patient has a small jaw without enough room for the teeth to come in correctly, in some cases causing them to become "impacted" or trapped in the maxilla.
• Limited space may cause them to only partially come in, creating a small space in which food can become trapped.

Obviously, every case is unique, and the dentist will be the one to diagnose whether wisdom teeth should be removed or not, assessing the teeth’s condition and the space available.

Post-extraction complications

The patient may suffer one or more post-extraction complications after the specialist removes the teeth:

• Swelling of the surrounding gums and tissues
• Short-term bleeding
• Difficulty or pain when opening the mouth
• Slow healing of the gums
• Infection
• Damage to adjacent teeth or earlier dental work (crowns, bridges, etc.)
• Numbness of the mouth and lips
• Inflammation of the nerves in the jaw

Nonetheless, recovery should be speedy if the patient follows the dentist’s recommendations.

If you need to get your wisdom teeth removed, please give us a call at +34 93 451 03 86 or make an appointment with our specialist on our website.