The Cons of Not Having a Wisdom Tooth Extracted

A dentist might recommend extracting a wisdom tooth for a variety of reasons, such as that the tooth is impacted. Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to erupt and they typically come in around the age of 17 to 21.

Being the last set of teeth to erupt, wisdom teeth are more likely to run into issues as they grow, like not having enough room on the jaw. Keeping wisdom teeth clean is more challenging than with other teeth due to their location in the back of the mouth. This makes them more vulnerable to tooth decay or gum disease.

The cons of not extracting a wisdom tooth

Wisdom teeth are the only set of teeth that are not necessary for good oral and overall health. Dentists often recommend extracting them, for this reason, the first time an issue develops. Doing this usually saves the patient money down the road and spares them the agony that comes with some of the issues that wisdom teeth are prone to.

Most people will develop issues with all of their wisdom teeth at some point in their life. Extracting all of a person's wisdom teeth prevents them from having to deal with extractions when their bodies are older and more prone to developing complications after surgery.

The extraction of teeth is classified as a surgical procedure and it comes with a week-long recovery. It can take months for the site of extraction to be fully healed. The not so pleasant things that can come as a result of the extraction of a wisdom tooth include:

• Swelling is a normal part of the recovery process after an extraction. However, some people experience swelling that is so severe that it prevents them from being able to open their mouths completely, and the swelling can last for as long as a few days
• Dealing with pain and discomfort is part of the recovery process after an extraction. Dentists usually prescribe pain killers for their patients to manage the pain. For most people, the pain lasts a few days before going away. Others develop a painful condition called "dry socket," which is the result of the clot that stopped the bleeding from the extraction site becoming dislodged. Dry socket requires emergency treatment from a dentist
• There are blood vessels and nerves that can be damaged during extraction. Such injuries can lead to temporary numbness in the face or mouth or heavy bleeding. It some cases, the damage can end up leading to an infection. It should be noted that the risk of such damage occurring is less than 1%
• General anesthetics are sometimes used if multiple teeth are being extracted at once. The use of general anesthetics comes with the risk of complications, like breathing problems

The bottom line

Wisdom tooth extraction provides more benefits than disadvantages. While some complications can develop after extractions, the procedure does more to protect the patient's oral health than it puts it at risk. Call or visit our Trophy Club clinic to learn more about extractions.

Request an appointment here: https://trophysmilestudio.com or call Trophy Smile Studio at (817) 210-4049 for an appointment in our Trophy Club office.

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