It’s not necessary for you to get your wisdom teeth removed if they are correctly positioned in your mouth and do not cause any pain or dental problems. If they are impacted and/or cause crowding in your teeth, a dentist will recommend that you have them removed. There are two ways wisdom teeth may grow.

Some will grow in like regular teeth and
Some will become impacted.
Impacted wisdom teeth are blocked from growing properly. They typically remain below the surface of your gum line and lie horizontally instead of standing upright like they are supposed to, mostly because there isn’t enough room for them to grow. Sometimes they sprout out sideways and towards another tooth. Keeping an impacted wisdom tooth that slightly sprouts can be difficult to keep because it can be a place for plaque and bacteria to accumulate. This is bad because it would promote the development of cavities and could lead to a much larger infection affecting more than just your teeth.

Impacted wisdom teeth can possibly collide with the roots of your molars and that can be extremely painful. In addition, while your impacted wisdom tooth is trying to erupt, the wisdom tooth itself can wear down the adjacent tooth and lead to several dental issues. If you decide not to remove your wisdom teeth, be sure to floss your teeth on a consistent basis, getting all the way to the back teeth. And be sure to use fluoridated mouth wash.

What If They Have Grown in and Don’t Hurt?

If this is the case, the decision is up to you. Wisdom teeth that cause minimal crowding and don’t hurt are fine to keep, but a lot of dentists will recommend that they be removed. Why? They are very susceptible to cavities and are not easily cleansable. If your wisdom teeth have cavities and you cannot clean them due to their location, filling the cavities is unwise because you’ll continue to develop more cavities. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to remove the wisdom teeth altogether.

When Should You Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

There is no “correct age” for wisdom tooth removal. Some people get their wisdom teeth at a young age, while some others get them in adulthood. But if you need to remove wisdom teeth, it would be better to take them out younger because the healing process would be a bit quicker. However, if you’re in your 40s with all your wisdom teeth and they cause no oral health complications, taking them out is not necessary. If you’re unsure, you should see a dentist to get a proper wisdom tooth examination and treatment plan.

Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Painful?

No, it shouldn’t be. With proper anesthesia, you should only feel pressure/pushing, not pain. If you do feel any sort of “sharpness”, or pain, let your dentist know that you’re not fully numb.

Some People Don’t Have Wisdom Teeth

Don’t worry if you don’t have wisdom teeth. Some people just don’t grow them.

As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Lawrence Falender has years of training and experience extracting wisdom teeth at all stages of development. Even if your wisdom teeth are fully grown in, we can schedule an oral examination to find out if your wisdom teeth require removal. Please contact our office in Indianapolis, IN, to schedule your consultation with one of our friendly team members!