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Which Ones Are the Wisdom Teeth?

Healthy teeth are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The more you know about keeping your teeth healthy, the more likely they will be ready for service every time you need them for years to come. Although most people have heard about wisdom teeth and know that some people need to remove them, you can be more confident in talking to the dentist if you are aware of the details before you schedule that dentist appointment.

  1. Location

    • Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to develop in the mouth. They are the third set of molars to develop. Like the other molars, their purpose is to aid in grinding food. The molars appear in most people between the ages of 17 and 24. Although some people do not develop wisdom teeth, most have four: two on the top and two on the bottom.

    Potential Problems

    • Wisdom teeth are susceptible to the same problems as the rest of your teeth. Cavities, toothaches and gum disease are all possibilities. However, wisdom teeth usually cause problems for a different reason. For many people, there is not enough space in the back of the mouth for the wisdom teeth to develop properly. This leads to what is called impacted wisdom teeth. Left untreated, impacted wisdom teeth can lead to infection, damage to the other teeth and even disease.

    Treating Impacted Wisdom Teeth

    • The only real treatment for impacted wisdom teeth is removal, because the problem is a lack of space. There is no way to create enough space to allow the wisdom teeth to develop normally.

    Preventive maintenance

    • Wisdom teeth require the same regular cleaning that the rest of your teeth need, to avoid cavities and gum disease. However, because unexpected pain can cause problems suddenly, many people have their wisdom teeth removed as part of their preventative dental care, at their dentist's recommendation. Dealing with impacted wisdom teeth before they cause problems is one reason dentists recommend regular checkups and X-rays. Many dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth at around age 17 or 18.

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