Most everyone will need to have their wisdom teeth removed at some point in their life. If yours have started to poke through your gumline or if your dentist recommends having your wisdom teeth extracted beforehand, you may have some questions about what this process entails and why exactly it should be carried out.

Most people today simply don’t have a mouth large enough to accommodate the growth of wisdom teeth. Even if there is enough space for wisdom teeth to erupt on the surface of your gums, you need to consider that wisdom teeth grow in differently than other teeth. Your wisdom teeth will grow in at an angle, pushing against the teeth in front of the gap to get into the correct alignment. Many people who try to let their wisdom teeth grow in find that they get stuck at an angle, putting pressure on the other teeth in their mouth and ultimately causing great discomfort (along with some more serious problems).

If your wisdom teeth are allowed to remain poking partially through the gums, this is also a problem since food and other particles can get caught in the pocket of gum that’s overlapping the tooth. Your dentist can use a laser to remove this gum in certain situations, but in general, you’ll want to have your wisdom teeth extracted at the same time if your dentist does not believe they’ll be able to grow in properly, which is so often the case.

If you are experiencing pain or discomfort from your wisdom teeth, visit our office today to learn about wisdom tooth extractions in Murrells Inlet.