You want to avoid unnecessary problems. It’s why you fill your car up before it completely runs out of gas. It’s also why you do your best to avoid potholes while driving.

When it comes to your mouth, brushing and flossing can prevent tooth decay and gum disease. But your wisdom teeth are going to come in one way or another. Unfortunately for many people, their jaws are not big enough to allow those teeth to erupt smoothly.

Removing your third molars can spare you from a lifetime of problems. This is why regular dental checkups are important. It’s also why we take X-rays. This allows us to track changes for your teeth to determine if they should be taken out.

Call 972-787-1869 to make an appointment at Dossett Dental in McKinney, TX. Let us help you or someone you love to keep your smile healthy and attractive.

What Could Happen

Most people get their wisdom teeth in the late teens or early 20s. These molars want to emerge at the back of your mouth. As we noted above, this isn’t possible for many people. 

This can lead to a variety of problems:

  • Crowding – Wisdom teeth may come in even if they don’t have space to do so comfortably. When this happens, they push other teeth out of the way. That causes those teeth to push into other teeth. The end result is a crowded smile.
  • Cysts – When teeth don’t fully erupt, you may develop fluid-filled cysts, which can harm nearby bone and teeth.
  • Decay – The position of your wisdom teeth can make them more difficult to clean effectively. That alone can increase your risk of cavities.
  • Impaction – This occurs when your third molars cannot fully emerge. Teeth can be partially impacted, which means they break the surface of the gumline, or fully impacted, which means they remain below the gumline. In either case, you may experience infection, pain, or swelling.
  • Infection – If your wisdom teeth are partially erupted, that can create a flap where bacteria can build. This raises your risk of infection in that part of your mouth.
  • Jaw Stiffness – The swelling mentioned above also can interfere with the mobility of your jaw. This can make it difficult to open and close your mouth.

Keep Your Smile Healthy

The good news about wisdom teeth is that we can identify potential problems before your wisdom teeth come in. With regular checkups, we will take X-rays. These will show how your teeth are coming in and whether problems are likely.

To head off long-term problems, extracting wisdom teeth can be a better decision for many people. We are happy to answer your questions about this procedure. Likewise, we will go over your aftercare while your mouth heals.

Take Action Early

Taking out wisdom teeth when patients are younger is better. Patients can recover faster and get back to living their lives. Older patients will still benefit from extracting their problematic third molars, but they should be prepared to take their time with recovery.

To schedule a visit to our McKinney, TX office, call 972-787-1869 or schedule online. To visit one of our other locations, call 817-270-9217 in Hurst, TX, in Plano, TX, or 214-740-6082 in Frisco, TX.