Your third molars, located in the back of your mouth, are also known as your wisdom teeth. Often associated with extractions and the subsequent swelling of the cheeks, wisdom teeth do not actually always require extraction just as long as they are healthy, emerge from the gum entirely, are properly aligned, and can be thoroughly cleaned during your daily oral care regimen.

Frequently, however, wisdom teeth do not have an adequate amount of space in which to emerge properly and wind up causing issues for the rest of your teeth. By taking X-rays and examining digital scans of your jaw and mouth, your dental professional will be able to foresee any potential issues that your wisdom teeth may cause before they come to pass. This method of early detection increases the likelihood that you will experience a pain-free wisdom tooth extraction.

When Are Wisdom Teeth An Issue?

New wisdom teeth breaking through your gums are able to come in at many different angles, from slightly askew to almost fully horizontal, which can bring about a long list of more severe dental issues like:

• Remaining totally hidden down in your jaw, resulting in impacted teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth often bring about various other pathologies such as tumors and cysts.
• Erupting only partially through your gums, forming a gateway for various harmful bacteria. Due to your wisdom teeth being difficult to reach during your daily oral care routine, a partially erupted wisdom tooth makes way for the growth of bacteria, making your chances of developing an infection or gum disease that much greater.
• Overcrowding adjacent teeth. If your wisdom teeth do not have a sufficient amount of room available to them when they breakthrough, they can easily damage or crowd your other teeth.
• Wisdom teeth are very difficult to clean and often develop deep cavities that are unable to be repaired.

Symptoms Indicating Mandatory Extraction

You need to schedule an appointment with your dental professional the moment you notice any of the symptoms listed below:

• Recurring infections in your mouth
• Oral pain
• Considerable tooth decay
• Signs of gum disease

At McBride Dental, we want to help you and your family do everything possible to have and preserve healthy teeth and gums. By scheduling regular appointments with your California family dentist and practicing the oral care techniques we teach you, your whole family will easily maintain teeth that are healthy, strong, and effective.

The San Marcos offices of Dr. Michael McBride are staffed with reputable, professional San Diego dentists that are ready to address any concerns you may have regarding common dental procedures, as well as preventative, cosmetic, or restorative dentistry.

It is our job to help you and your family establish healthy dental habits to make sure that your teeth will always be there when you need them and your smile will always look great.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a San Marcos dentist, please give us a call at (760) 471-1003 and speak with a trained member of our dental staff today.