34 FOCUS - SEPTEMBER 2017 Many patients who visit Port Perry Dental Associates ask why wisdom teeth should be removed if there is no pain or infection present. The answer is: Preventative Medicine. First of all, wisdom teeth, or “third” molars, are the third set of molars, which grow at the far upper and lower corners of the jaw. Wisdom teeth often make their debut when a person is approximately 15 to 25- years -old. By the time they erupt, the patient’s mouth is usually already full of teeth, leaving no clear space for them to grow into the mouth. Often the result is that all or part of the crown of the wisdom tooth, and all of its roots, remain submerged below the gum line, and often grow on a crooked angle. This can cause unpleasant future oral health issues. If wisdom teeth are not removed, they can become impacted, which basically means staying trapped below the gum line. If a wisdom tooth is unable to fully erupt to become a healthy, functioning tooth, several problems may occur. The pressure that impacted wisdom teeth can put on neighbouring teeth is unhealthy. If not extracted, wisdom teeth can lead to periodontal (gum) disease. If the crown of a wisdom tooth remains trapped underneath the gums, nasty infections and cyst formation can result. A partially erupted wisdom tooth can cause the formation of a skin flap, which becomes red, swollen and painful. In cases where wisdom teeth do grow through, they often cause crowding and an improper bite by erupting too close to existing molars. Submerged wisdom teeth can also cause damage by putting pressure on the roots of other teeth. Nobody wants this to happen! The best time to remove wisdom teeth is before any problems emerge (usually between the age of 16 and 22), according to the experienced Dentists at Port Perry Dental Associates. The ideal candidate for wisdom tooth extraction is a young, healthy patient who has not yet experienced any pain at the sites of the wisdom teeth, which is a red flag that there are problems brewing. Depending on the individual patient, the procedure of wisdom tooth removal is routinely done in the office and we can provide that service for you. At Port Perry Dental Associates the procedure is done under IV sedation. Recovering from oral surgery to remove one or more wisdom teeth can be expected to take a few days. Analegesics are made available and most patients can expect a speedy and uneventful recovery. The patient’s diet should consist of soft foods or drinks, and nothing too hot or cold. Think room temperature pudding, yogurt drinks and broth soup. Then gradually start to enjoy scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes. In a week or so, you can look forward to a nice T-bone steak. The best thing about getting all four of your wisdom teeth out is that it only happens once, and then you can be worry free for the rest of your life. Another silver lining is that the removal of wisdom teeth in no way impedes a person’s ability to eat or speak or bite properly. The bottom line is: It is a very “wise” decision to have your wisdom teeth removed. Visit the caring, professional Dentists ready to serve you at Port Perry Dental Associates to determine if now is the right time to remove your wisdom teeth. To wisdom or not, that is the question.