A common question amongst parents of our teen patients, or amongst young adult patients, is when is it time to get wisdom teeth extractions? We understand why you’re curious. Getting your wisdom teeth has gotten a bad rap for a good reason – it really does hurt when they come in! Besides the pain associated with wisdom teeth eruption, they can come in and misalign your smile, or be impacted, causing a host of other problems. So, when is the ideal age to have them removed?
There’s No Magic Number
When it comes to wisdom teeth extractions, there’s no magic number as to when to have them removed. The reason is that wisdom teeth come in during a long range of time, from the mid-teen years all the way up to your late twenties. Because every one of our Belmont patients is unique and have wisdom teeth that erupt or impact on their own timetable, there’s no specific age at which we recommend wisdom teeth extractions.
Instead, we recommend that you come in for your biannual teeth cleanings and for necessary dental x-rays, and come in sooner if you experience symptoms of wisdom teeth eruption or impaction. These symptoms could include:
- Bad breath that just won’t go away, no matter what you try
- Unexplained, swollen jaws
- Headaches that have seemed to appear out of nowhere
- Pain in the back of your mouth
- Gums that are red, swollen and bleeding even though you practice proper oral hygiene
- Feeling the eruption of your wisdom teeth in the back of your mouth
When Belmont teens and young adults visit our doctors on a regular, six months basis, as well as come in to report any symptoms of wisdom teeth coming in, our doctors are better able to prepare a personalized wisdom teeth extractions plan for them. This will include:
- Monitoring of wisdom teeth progress
- Watching wisdom teeth eruptions and impactions
- Closely monitoring how wisdom teeth might be affecting the alignment of your smile
- Timing of when wisdom teeth extractions need to occur
You Have the Power
When it comes to deciding when it’s time for Belmont teens and young adults to have wisdom teeth extractions, you have the power in your hands, or shall we say mouth. By coming in for your regular appointments, reporting any symptoms that might hint that your wisdom teeth are coming in or are impacted, and staying in close communication with our doctors, the Dental Restorative Group is best equipped to develop a personalized treatment plan for you.
Call Us to Schedule an Appointment Today
Whether it’s time for your next dental cleaning, it’s been a while and you know you’re overdue for one, or you just want to sit down with our doctors to better understand the timing for wisdom teeth extractions, we’re always here for our Belmont patients. We want to be a resource for you and your partner in your oral health care, as well as a team member in preserving that beautiful smile of yours!
If you have questions about wisdom teeth extractions that this blog hasn’t answered, the best thing you can do is schedule an appointment with one of our doctors to talk about this phase of life directly with him or her. During this appointment, our doctors will be able to perform an oral examination, take x-rays to monitor the progress of your wisdom teeth, listen to any symptoms you may have to report and answer any and all of your questions about wisdom teeth and wisdom teeth extractions.
To schedule such an appointment today, call our Belmont office at (617) 489-1470.
