Should i pull wisdom teeth

Besides, I don't want to have surgery unless I really need it. I will try to prevent any problems by going to my dentist regularly. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. I want to do whatever I can now to avoid problems with my wisdom teeth later on. I want to wait and see if I have problems with my wisdom teeth before I decide to have them removed.

I don't have dental insurance, and I can't afford to pay for the oral surgery myself. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision.

Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. I have a hard time cleaning around them, though, and my dentist says my wisdom teeth and the teeth and gums right next to them are in danger of starting to have problems.

I have diabetes that's pretty well controlled right now, so I'm going to have my wisdom teeth out now. My dentist said that if I wait until I have real damage to my teeth, my diabetes may be worse by then and I could have trouble healing up after the surgery.

If my wisdom teeth are impacted, I might need to have them removed. It may be better to have my wisdom teeth removed when I'm younger than to wait and see if I have problems later on. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?

Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

Get the facts. Your options Have your wisdom teeth removed. Don't have your wisdom teeth removed. Key points to remember Have your dentist check your wisdom teeth if you're 16 to 19 years old. Your dentist may recommend that you have your wisdom teeth removed if they cause pain or an infection, crowd other teeth, or get stuck impacted and can't break through your gums. And when you're younger, you tend to heal faster. You may never have any problems with your wisdom teeth, especially if you're already older than Wisdom teeth that are healthy and come in properly don't cause problems.

What are wisdom teeth? What causes problems with wisdom teeth? What are the risks of having your wisdom teeth removed? After you have your wisdom teeth removed, you may have: Pain and swelling in your gums and tooth socket where the tooth was removed. Bleeding that won't stop for about 24 hours. Problems or pain when you try to open your jaw. This is called trismus. Slow-healing gums. Damage to dental work, such as crowns or bridges, or to roots of a nearby tooth. Dry socket, which causes pain and swelling and occurs when the blood clot that protects the open tooth socket is lost too soon.

Numbness freezing in your mouth and lips after the local anesthetic wears off or because of an injury or swelling to the nerves in your jaw. Numbness usually goes away. But in rare cases, it may not. An opening into your sinus cavity if a wisdom tooth is removed from the upper jaw. What are the risks of NOT having your wisdom teeth removed? Problems may occur if you don't have your wisdom teeth removed.

For example: When there isn't enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to come in, they may get impacted and never break through your gums.

Your wisdom teeth may break through your gums only partway, causing a flap of gum tissue to grow over them. Food can get trapped under the flap and cause your gums to become red, swollen, and painful. One or more of your wisdom teeth may come in at the wrong angle. The top of the tooth may face forward, backward, or to either side. Over time, pain may correct itself and no extraction will be required.

If you experience pain while eating, this might be a reason to have your wisdom teeth taken out. Food could be getting stuck in between the gums and the tops of the teeth. This could cause a lot of problems if you cannot get to the back of the mouth and clean well enough while brushing.

Checking with a dentist to find the right products to fix this problem is the best way to handle it. Don't Let the Pain Continue! When a sac next to the teeth becomes filled with fluid, this is called a cyst. If it goes untreated, it can destroy bones, roots and surrounding structures. It becomes too severe, it can turn into a tumor and require additional surgery.

If the wisdom teeth grow in crooked, they can make the other teeth shift and move over. They might even damage the other teeth. Extraction can prevent other teeth from having any damage. There are multiple theories of why wisdom teeth tend to grow out crooked and sideways. It has been said that our jaws are not large enough to accommodate a 3rd molar which then bumps against the others causing it to grow sideways.

You should also consider removing wisdom teeth before orthodontic treatment to allow more room for misalignments to shift.

Wisdom teeth can cause a variety of sinus problems. These problems arise when teeth grow in on the upper jaw. When the teeth grow and roots develop, they can push and rub against the sinuses putting pressure on them.

The position of the wisdom teeth can have a big impact on cleaning surfaces where bacteria can hide. If the gums become irritated, pockets can develop between the teeth and cause bacteria to grow. This will then promote the development of cavities leading to infection. Sometimes when wisdom teeth start sprouting out, it can create a flap of gum tissue that resides next to the tooth. This gum tissue can trap small particles of food and bacteria. However, even wisdom teeth that come in correctly can develop problems over time because they are so far back in the mouth and difficult to clean.

So if you keep your wisdom teeth, be sure to brush and floss them well, and see your dentist regularly. These teeth are buried, either partially or completely, in the soft tissue or jaw bone, and are more susceptible to disease and other problems. Dentists generally evaluate impacted teeth on a case-by-case basis to determine whether to remove them, he adds. If a tooth is fully impacted in bone and X-rays show that eruption is unlikely, your dentist will often recommend removal to prevent future problems.

Mild to moderate pain is normal and expected after an extraction, but a few other complications are also possible. Ultimately, you have little control over your wisdom teeth. Is everyone born with four wisdom teeth? Is it always necessary to have them removed?