Your last teeth to come in are your wisdom teeth, usually in late adolescence. These are the last back molars located on both sides of your mouth. For a fortunate few, their wisdom teeth can emerge without any issues, but for the rest of us, there will be some problems that will make your dentist want to take them out.
 
In many cases, only a part of the wisdom tooth will break the surface of the gum and not fully emerge. This will cause some tenderness. The molar may not be aligned properly with the gum, or it may even be crowding your other teeth and pushing them out of alignment.
 
These cases happen often, and your dentist will recommend extracting the wisdom teeth so that your other teeth will have more room to properly adjust. It will be a simpler procedure to do while the young roots are not developed.
 
Sometimes the wisdom tooth will be impacted, in these cases, the wisdom tooth is more firmly rooted to the jaw bone and must be taken out by slicing up the tooth into several sections and removing it bit by bit.
 
There will be some swelling and tenderness of the face and neck for several days after the procedure is done. The amount of swelling and the speed of healing is different for every patient, but medication will ease the pain of recovery.
 
Until fully recovered, you should step-up your normal daily practice of good oral hygiene. Consistent rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash will help keep germs from becoming a problem.
 
If you’re between 16 and 19 and are experiencing tenderness in your rearmost teeth, you may be ready to have your wisdom teeth out. Dr. Sula Umansky would be happy to evaluate your situation. To make an appointment or to have your questions answered regarding wisdom teeth removal, please contact Advantage Dentists at: 281-829-5000, or drop by in Humble, Texas.