What are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars and the last teeth to develop within the mouth. They usually begin to show up on dental x-rays around the time a person is an adolescent. 

How Wisdom Teeth Can Affect Your Smile

As wisdom teeth begin to push up through the gums, your other teeth may start to crowd and become crooked in an attempt to allow these teeth to erupt. If the wisdom teeth are impacted horizontally, they can push against the surrounding teeth and cause further orthodontic issues.

Why our Orthodontist Might Recommend Removing Your Wisdom Teeth

Prior to having braces placed, we may recommend that your wisdom teeth be removed because your wisdom teeth can potentially prolong or ruin your progress. 

For children and young teens who have already worn braces, this can essentially undermine your orthodontic treatment if the wisdom teeth are left in place. For older teens and adults wanting braces, it might help to remove the wisdom teeth before undergoing treatment to prevent your teeth from shifting over time.

Other Possible Problems Caused by Wisdom Teeth

  • Crowded teeth – Your mouth might just not be big enough to accommodate 4 more large molars. Crowded teeth cause a host of problems and can be painful, too!
  • Misaligned bite – Crowded teeth often lead to misalignment of the bite and jaw, which may increase jaw pain or cause teeth to become crooked.
  • Increased risk of tooth decay – Crowded teeth can act like magnets for sticky bits of cavity-causing food and the tight spaces can be hard to brush, too.
  • Misaligned roots – When the teeth themselves are misaligned, the roots are misaligned as well. Misaligned roots can damage the root structure of neighboring teeth. This is a problem that may not present with many obvious symptoms, but over time may contribute to tooth loss.

Who Can Remove My Child’s Wisdom Teeth?

At Bubble Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics we strive to make your dental needs and experience as easy as possible.  Our office is part of the Berik Group practices and we schedule our oral surgeries at The Center for Oral Surgery and Implantology, inside Newton Dental Associates. The office is a two-minute walk from Bubble.  Our surgeon, Dr. Ilya Garibyan, has years of experience extracting 3rd molars (wisdom teeth) and your child will receive the same level of care and compassion as they receive at Bubble Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics.

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Bubble Children's Dentistry and Orthodontics is dedicated to providing your child with the best oral care and education.