Bacteria can easily collect in the vicinity of impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth because it’s the hardest part of the smile to reach with your toothbrush. Patients may not realize that the bacteria from abscesses or infections in or near those impacted wisdom teeth can spread throughout the body and cause a systemic infection. This can create a life-threatening condition known as sepsis if not treated promptly. However, when an oral surgeon extracts your impacted wisdom teeth, your risk of this outcome is significantly reduced.
Additionally, impacted wisdom teeth often cause discomfort, which can limit your ability to eat foods that provide valuable nutrients for your body. This issue, too can negatively affect your health, suggesting another benefit of wisdom tooth extraction.
Patients may be reluctant to consider dental surgery if their wisdom teeth aren’t causing an active symptoms, but the timing of this procedure is important. It’s impossible to predict when an impacted wisdom tooth will become problematic, but it is much more challenging for an oral surgeon to remove the third molars in older patients, when the roots of those teeth become more ingrained in the jaw. Therefore, it is recommended for patients to have their wisdom teeth extracted by age 25. In fact, some insurers will limit or eliminate coverage for the procedure as a preventive measure after that time.
Wisdom tooth extraction is a routine procedure, and it is likely that your oral surgeon has performed this procedure hundreds or even thousands of times. However, like any surgery, there are certain risks, although they are relatively rare. You will be educated on these risks before your procedure so that you can make an informed decision and take steps to prevent complications.
Having your impacted wisdom teeth removed can boost your health, so if you still have your wisdom teeth, schedule a consultation at our office to explore extraction options.
