Best time to remove wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are an extra set of teeth that are not necessary in a normal functional bite. I feel that their main purpose is to provide an extra set of teeth that can come in, in place of teeth that would have been lost earlier in life to dental disease in a person who did not have regular dental care.

Wisdom Teeth Problems

One of the main wisdom tooth problems is that most people do not have functional room for them to come in and for those who do, there is rarely good gum tissue contours around them for proper oral health. As they develop, they start to cause problems on the adjacent teeth and they may also develop in a way that affects and can put adjacent vital structures at risk.

We can make a very good prediction even as early as age 12 using a panoramic scan as to whether a patient will have adequate room for the teeth or that their position will be satisfactory for proper development. Early treatment of wisdom teeth makes sense on a number of levels.

Best time to remove wisdom teeth

I have found that about age 15 is an ideal time for evaluation and wisdom tooth extraction. At that age, there is typically not a lot of root formation and so the risk of surgery to the adjacent vital structures is very low. At that time, the development of the teeth has not adversely affected the adjacent second molar teeth. Because the wisdom teeth are smaller at that time, it is typically a less involved procedure and tolerated better by the patient with less wisdom teeth pain and swelling. Psychologically and socially, it is typically a less complicated time in their life and results in less lost time from work, school, or professional pursuits. The younger patient is often under the care of parents who are able to guide them through the process. Younger patients are typically healthier and more resilient through this type of procedure as well.

As we age, there can be increased risks and concerns in this process. Even in the adult, I recommend evaluation and proactive care. At any age it never gets easier and less risky. There are certainly cases in the adult patient where I may recommend no treatment on a wisdom tooth. It is easy to assess.

With advancing age, comes deterioration in health. When we start to overlay medical problems as well as the normal decreased resistance to disease and general decrease in our immune system, we find that there comes a point where the body cannot hold off the problems associated with the wisdom teeth and we then have to deal with them often in a less healthy patient. This is completely avoidable with proper early diagnosis and early treatment.

As the person who ends up having to treat you at an older age with greater risks and with increased complication possibilities, I feel it is almost inexcusable when proper treatment is not provided early on. Come on in. We will take excellent care of you through your evaluation, consultation, and treatment.

For a consultation, call Wagner Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Specialists at (262) 634-4646 today — we’ll take excellent care of you.