Tooth Talk with Dr. T: Wisdom Teeth

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Tooth Talk with Dr. T: Wisdom Teeth: Good morning. I'm Dr. Kris tumilowicz from Dental Dimensions at Edgebrook Center. Today on Tooth Talk we are talking about wisdom teeth. Do you have them? Do you have enough room for them? Or do you need to have them removed...

For many people, the best treatment for wisdom teeth is to remove them to prevent future dental problems.

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to develop, usually in the late teens or early twenties, but for many people, there isn't enough room in the jaw for wisdom teeth to grow in properly.

This can cause serious problems, such as pain, infection, tooth decay, periodontal disease, and cysts in the jawbone.

It can be very painful when a partially erupted wisdom tooth and the surrounding gums become infected.

An impacted wisdom tooth can also cause tooth decay.

This x-ray shows a wisdom tooth coming in sideways and causing a cavity in the second molar.

This happens because wisdom teeth are nearly impossible to keep free of decay-causing plaque.

You can easily see the plaque here because we've stained it with red dye.

Plaque also causes periodontal disease, which may start near the wisdom teeth and spread throughout the mouth.

Lastly, cysts form sometimes around an impacted wisdom tooth, and they can destroy a tremendous amount of bone before they're noticed.

It's often better to remove wisdom teeth early, while their roots are still small, even before the teeth have come in through the gums.

This often allows for easier removal, fewer complications, and faster healing.

To determine if extracting wisdom teeth is right for your situation , we'll do a thorough examination, which usually includes x-rays.

Extracting wisdom teeth is often the best choice for maintaining a healthy mouth and smile.

Not everybody has enough room to have wisdom teeth come in properly.. you may have all 4.. you may have only one or two.. your general dentist will help you decide how to treat your wisdom tooth situation...That’s it for tooth talk join us next week and every week

Copyright 2020 WIFR. All rights reserved.