Your third molars, also known as “wisdom teeth” are the ones that are farthest back in our mouths. There are four of them total, with some people having an extra one or two every now and then.

You probably know many people who have had their wisdom teeth removed – but how do you know if you’re going to be one of them? The friendly and professional team at Somersmiles Dental in Somerville can evaluate your wisdom teeth and help you decide if they should stay, or if they need to go.

You Should Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed If You Have:

Pain 

Obviously, if your wisdom teeth cause you severe pain then they should be removed. Discomfort from wisdom teeth can become so severe that it can cause an earache or even a headache.

Gum Issues 

Wisdom teeth can be slanted at an angle, which makes a pocket in your gum that constantly collects food particles and harbors bacteria. This positioning leads to gum irritation and inflammation – causing periodontal disease in the area.

Difficulty Cleaning

Most wisdom teeth are so far back in the mouth that they’re hard to reach and clean sufficiently. If you have a hard time brushing and flossing around your wisdom teeth, then you should get them removed because they could lead to other problems that spread to neighboring teeth.

Decay

As we’ve already mentioned, wisdom teeth that are hard to clean will likely need to be removed. If not, they can develop cavities. If the decays reach the inner layer of the tooth, it can abscess and become quite painful.

While fixing decay may be recommended in some cases, often times it will just reoccur in hard to clean teeth, so we may recommend removal of them altogether.

Unsure What to Do?

If you have concerns about your wisdom teeth then give the Somerville dentists at Somersmiles Dental a call today.