We have all heard the term wisdom teeth one time or another. Perhaps you’ve wondered why we have these set of teeth that 85% of the population have extracted, and what their purpose is to begin with. You’ve possibly wondered what causes them to need extracting, and if you need to set up an appointment to have yours extracted. We are going to try our best to answer these questions for you!

What are they?
Wisdom teeth are the set of molars that make up the ends of your two rows of teeth, on the top and bottom of your mouth. All the way in the back, these teeth emerge from the gums later in life and often come with discomfort and pain.

Why do we have Wisdom teeth?
It’s all related to our ancestors! Way back when humans needed to grind and chew their food without using utensils, these molars really helped out when eating raw or hard items. 

An impacted tooth 
Impaction occurs when a tooth grows in incorrectly, unable to break the gum line. This could be because the tooth is pushing on a tooth beside it in many different ways. This pushing against another tooth is a cause of great discomfort.

The removal process
Each case is different, because each tooth will be at a different stage in the emerging process. A wisdom tooth perhaps never leaves its place inside the bone and needs to be cut out, or it has grown in perfectly fine. Depending on the angle of growth, each tooth will need to be extracted differently. 

Recovery
After surgery, there are rules to follow in order to ensure the health of your mouth and gums. This healing process could take a couple of weeks or a few months, and should be taken seriously. 

If you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our team at Progressive Family Dentistry. We would love to talk with you!

The symptoms experienced with the above ailments can be different with each patient, but the most common are:

• Fever
• Headache
• Foul-tasting drainage (coming from affected tooth)
• Tooth pain (sharp, throbbing, or constant)

If you, or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, please make an appointment with Progressive Family Dentistry so we can help get you professional care!