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Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Necessary?
3 Important Considerations
For most people, a visit to the dentist is not a very pleasant experience. We tend to dread the trip even if we love to have a beautiful smile.
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And even if we’re confident in our oral health and hygiene habits. The dentist always seems to find something wrong, don’t they?
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One such dreaded procedure we all seem to encounter at one point or another is that of wisdom tooth removal. When we hear the advice, most of us tend to trust the dentist’s opinion on the necessity.
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However, how necessary really is it to remove your wisdom teeth?
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Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Necessary?
1. Preventative Measures
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One study gave an estimate that a whopping two-thirds of wisdom tooth removal procedures are unnecessary.
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This is because dentists often recommend extracting the third molars as a precaution. They tend to grow in out of alignment, crooked, or sideways, if they grow in at all. It’s just as likely they become impacted and never break through the gums.
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All of these occurrences preclude the necessity to remove your teeth, though. If they’re not causing any problems, there isn’t much justification for extracting them.
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Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Necessary?
2. When Trouble Breaks Out
So what kinds of problems would indicate a need to approach a dentist about wisdom tooth removal? The answer is pretty simple: are you experiencing pain? If so, then it might be time to talk to your dentist.
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For the most part, though, your wisdom teeth coming in don’t really matter that much. It’s entirely possible for the third molars to be impacted or crooked without causing any further complications.
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However, dentists still might recommend removal. This is because those teeth can be hard to clean effectively, leading to cavities and the need to remove the teeth anyway.
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Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Necessary?
3. Risk-Reward
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If you aren’t experiencing any pain, though, the process of extracting your wisdom teeth can be more detrimental than beneficial.
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You might be put under general anaesthesia for the operation, which carries inherent risks before you even get to the actual procedure.
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Complications from the surgery itself also exist, including the risk of haemorrhage, dry socket, infection, temporary or permanent numbness of the lips, tongue, and cheek, and fractures of adjacent teeth, the mandible, or the maxilla.
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These are worst case scenario outcomes. At the very least, you’ll be enormously uncomfortable for several days and confined to liquids or soft foods. It’s a decent price to pay for a preventative procedure.
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At the end of the day, the decision to remove your wisdom teeth is your own. Your dentist may have recommendations, but it’s entirely possible their wisdom is misguided. The procedure is not something to be taken lightly. Explore all your options, do your research, and seek a second opinion if you have any doubt.
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Post by Dixie Somers
DixieSomers@gmail.com
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