Is getting wisdom out urgent? have all four wisdom teeth, and three are impacted. They hurt on and off, so my dentist referred me to an oral surgeon. The surgeon says I should have all four teeth extracted to prevent future problems and another surgery. There is a low risk of never damage from the impacted teeth. My dentist and surgeon are really pushing for surgery. But as I mentioned, the teeth hurt on and off, but the pain is not severe. Sometimes I feel a little pressure, too. I am 29 years old, and if I do not need surgery now, I would be happy to wait. – Thanks. Taylor
Taylor,
Thank you for your question.
Your dentist and oral surgeon are concerned about future complications and increasing the complexity of your surgery.
Avoiding a Wisdom Teeth Emergency
You can avoid a wisdom teeth emergency by getting them extracted while your symptoms are mild. The older you get, wisdom teeth become more impacted and more challenging to remove.
As you age, the risk of complications increases:
- Jawbone hardens and stiffens
- Tooth roots thicken
- Tooth position locks in
- Increased risk of infection
When you have multiple impacted wisdom teeth, the risk of becoming infected will progress. And infection can spread to other teeth, your jawbone, and your gums. An infection can even reach your bloodstream. If that happens, you need emergency dental care and oral surgery. And you will need antibiotics to treat a blood infection.
Although you may be able to wait a little longer for wisdom teeth extraction, why wait until it becomes an emergency? Planned surgery is less inconvenient than an unexpected one. If you are still unsure what to do, you can schedule an appointment with another dentist for a second opinion. And remember to take your x-rays with you or send them to the dental office.
Dr. Ryan Perry, a Baton Rouge family dentist, sponsors this post.