Removing Wisdom Teeth: Yes or No?

A number of your friends probably have had wisdom teeth removed. Many of your other friends haven’t. So what’s the deal with wisdom teeth: do they need to be pulled or don’t they? Here’s a little bit of data we’ve amassed to help you choose whether having wisdom teeth taken out sounds right for you. If you have any extra inquiries about wisdom teeth after reviewing this post, we’d be thrilled to answer them during your next visit at our office.

Wisdom teeth are extracted when they erupt because they can make it hard to eat and breathe normally. But what about when they don’t come out? Should they still be extracted? Many dentists say yes. When wisdom teeth aren’t taken out and they partially emerge, they often get surrounded by a flap of gum tissue. When this happens, it’s possible for food and food remnants to lodge themselves between the tooth and the flap, and those food remnants will eventually feed acids which harm the gums and lead to fever. So pulling the partially-emerged wisdom tooth is a cautionary choice to foil infection and complications later on.

Please call 713-622-8607 to set up your Houston, Texas, JF Lopez, DDS, MD, RPh, PA visit with Dr. Jose Lopez. We’ll be thrilled to help you get your best smile today!