A fair amount of patients tell me their wisdom teeth, aka third molars, don't bother them. Unfortunately, like other dental diseases, the symptoms indicative of needing an extracted can be silent until it really turns into a problem. For example, a cavity may not cause much discomfort, but if not treated, you bet when that turns into a root canal, it won't be any fun. The same goes for wisdom teeth.

Removing wisdom teeth as soon as they have been diagnosed as an issue saves a lot of unnecessary dental visits and aggravation. It's understandable not wanting to part with teeth and not wanting to visit the Oral Surgeon, you're not alone. But think of the positive, in addition to preventing more problems by leaving them there, it's four less teeth that need flossing.

Consider keeping your wisdom teeth if:

• They grow in fully erupted
• They are easy to clean and access
• There is plenty of room
• Other teeth aren't affected by their eruption

Consider ditching your wisdom teeth if:

• They easily get infected
• The gums easily get infected
• They are partially erupted
• Only one or two have erupted
• They cause pain
• They compromise the health of neighboring teeth
• They compromise the integrity of the jaw and facial bones

Like all dental related issues, consulting with your dentist is the first step. There are some health conditions that can prevent a patient from taking immediate action. Tooth extractions are considered surgery and your health history will determine the safest course of treatment.

If your dental professional is letting you know your wisdom teeth are a problem, chances are the problem isn't going to go away. Instead of waiting for the situation to become exasperated, be proactive. It's only a matter of time before complications lead you to the same conclusion. The only difference is it's on your time table, not the tooth's.

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