{"id":877,"date":"2015-07-30T17:03:32","date_gmt":"2015-07-30T17:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/should-i-have-my-wisdom-teeth-extracted\/"},"modified":"2023-07-18T11:51:16","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T11:51:16","slug":"should-i-have-my-wisdom-teeth-extracted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/dental-blog\/should-i-have-my-wisdom-teeth-removed\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I Have My Wisdom Teeth Extracted?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Wisdom<\/p>\n

Should i have my wisdom teeth extracted:<\/strong> If only wisdom teeth could live up to the promise of their name. Far from promoting knowledge, the arrival of these third molars causes a lot of questions— particularly, should they stay or should they go? Pre-emptive wisdom teeth removal has become a rite of passage for many adolescents,<\/strong>\u00a0but can be controversial: Those who oppose early removal argue that the surgery is unnecessary, and, like all procedures, carries some risk.\u00a0However, 80 to 90 percent of impacted wisdom teeth cause problems, ranging from overcrowding to pain.<\/strong> Therefore, most Wisdom Teeth Extracted should be removed.<\/p>\n

Wisdom Teeth 101<\/h3>\n

Wisdom teeth are third molars that typically erupt (\u201cgrow in\u201d) between the ages of 17 to 24. Why do we have wisdom teeth? The answer isn\u2019t clear. Some scientists believe wisdom teeth were necessary because ancient man used to eat coarser diets which caused extensive wear and tear on the molars, so when the wisdom teeth appeared, there was room to accommodate them. Lack of dental hygiene meant that broken or lost teeth also cleared the way for these molars. Today, a softer diet and better access to dental care means wisdom teeth don\u2019t have as much \u201celbow room\u201d as they once did.\u00a0Studies suggest that there is a 75 % chance that at least one wisdom tooth will be impacted.<\/strong>\u00a0A tooth is impacted when it fails to surface into a normal position and is partially or fully covered by gum tissue or bone. Impaction can cause wisdom tooth pain, severe toothache pain, discomfort, and damage to neighboring teeth. So, why are they called wisdom teeth? Because the teeth surface later in life, when people are wiser. (At least, that\u2019s the story.)<\/p>\n

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Wisdom Teeth Extractions<\/a><\/h3>\n

The decision of whether or not to preventatively remove wisdom teeth has been the center of extensive debate– and misinformation\u2014for decades. While research and studies continue, following are the basic arguments for removal:<\/p>\n