Wisdom Tooth Exams in Clear Lake
Wisdom teeth don’t necessarily affect everyone, but most people do have to deal with them at one point or another. These third molars begin to form in the jaw bone between the ages of 7-10. If these teeth are going to develop completely and erupt through the gum, they’ll typically do so by the time you’re in your late teens or early twenties. It’s best to have them examined during your high school years by our Clear Lake, Texas dentist.
Wisdom Tooth Pain
Developing wisdom teeth can be a long and painful process. The discomfort can come and go periodically and may be accompanied by swelling of the gum tissue, face, and neck. You may also experience headaches, jaw pain, and difficulty opening your mouth.
The unexpected and inevitable pain of your wisdom teeth coming in can occur at the worst times and interrupt your busy life. Having an examination of your wisdom teeth at the appropriate age will allow our Clear Lake dentist to determine if these teeth are going to be a problem or not. If so, you’ll have the opportunity to be proactive by planning to have them removed before they give you any trouble.
Other Reasons Why Should You Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed
In addition to causing a severe and unnecessary pain, here are a couple of other reasons you may want to have your wisdom teeth removed:
There’s No Room In Your Mouth For More Teeth
Some mouths don’t have enough real estate for the third molars to grow in completely. However, these teeth will still try to break through, which often causes them to come in sideways, slanted, crooked, and only partially erupted. You’ll also experience a lot of pressure on your other teeth because the third molars are pushing their way into your mouth.
Wisdom Teeth Are Hard To Clean
Even if your wisdom teeth do manage to come in completely, the chances that you’ll be able to keep them clean isn’t very good. Third molars are hard to clean with a toothbrush floss, so they often end up decaying or developing periodontal infections. The disease can even spread to the adjacent tooth, causing you to need additional treatment. This can all be avoided by having your wisdom teeth removed before they become a problem.
Wisdom Tooth X-Ray
When you come in for the evaluation of your wisdom teeth, we’ll first take a panoramic x-ray which will show us all of your facial anatomy from your nose to the bottom of your chin. Getting this x-ray taken is actually easier than the traditional intraoral films that we typically take during your cleaning appointments. The full-mouth image will allow us to see each of your wisdom teeth, how they’re developing, if there are any cysts or nerves nearby, and other factors that impact the treatment planning process. Even your sinus cavities and bone density are evaluated.
Most panoramic films are taken about every 3-5 years for a full oral assessment. So if you’re in high school or college and it’s time to check on your wisdom teeth (or your teen’s teeth, that is) a panoramic X-ray is probably the first step.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction Exam
After evaluating your teen’s panoramic X-ray, our dentist will look at the wisdom teeth areas in their mouth to see if the molars are visible yet, what condition the gum tissue is in, and if the placement is affecting neighboring structures, such as bone or other teeth in the mouth.
Based on the X-ray and exam we’ll be able to give you a recommendation as to if and when you should have your wisdom teeth removed. This way you’ll be able to plan a day for the surgery and take some additional time afterward to recover. Typically if there is any active infection—such as gum disease, tooth decay, or a cyst—it’s best to go ahead and plan to have the wisdom teeth removed altogether.
Wisdom Teeth Removal in Clear Lake, Texas
If you haven’t had an evaluation done of you or your teen’s third molars then call Rosas Family Dentistry to schedule a wisdom teeth consultation. Whether you’re in Clear Lake, League City, Webster, Seabrook, Friendswood, Kemah, or NASA areas we’re available for you. Don’t wait until you start having problems with your wisdom teeth. Spring break is a great time to plan your wisdom tooth evaluation.
Take control of your oral health and come to see us today. We look forward to meeting you.