Since wisdom teeth are the last molars to emerge at the back of your mouth, they are likely to grow at the wrong angles or get stuck underneath your gum, causing serious dental complications. That’s why dental specialists advise their patients to remove their wisdom teeth as soon as they emerge.
That way, you can prevent serious problems in the future. But does this mean that you cannot have your wisdom teeth removed after a certain age? The truth is that it’s safer to have your wisdom teeth removed when you are young. This article discusses the common wisdom teeth issues after 40.
Why You Should Remove Wisdom Teeth Earlier in Life
Between 15 and 25 years of age, the roots of your wisdom teeth are not fully formed and therefore the teeth are not firmly attached to your jawbone. It is very easy to remove both normal and impacted wisdom teeth at this time. Furthermore, teeth removal surgery is less complex and the recovery process is relatively rapid at this age. Another benefit of getting rid of your wisdom teeth early in life is that it reduces the risk of damaging your nerves during surgery. In other words, early wisdom teeth removal is important because the results are generally more satisfactory and predictable.
Wisdom Teeth Removal After 40
First of all, you need to understand that not everyone needs wisdom teeth removal. After 40 years, your jaw is fully developed and the roots of your wisdom teeth are firmly attached to your jawbone. Therefore, extracting your wisdom teeth at this time could expose you to other serious dental complications. For instance, if you have lived with an impacted wisdom tooth for over 20 years, it may have caused damages to the neighboring teeth, gum, jawbone, and nerves. Therefore, before your dentist removes the wisdom tooth, they should recommend other treatment options to reduce the risk of serious complications during and after the surgery.
Another reason why it is not advisable to extract your wisdom teeth after 40 is that it will be a long and complicated tooth extraction process, especially since the wisdom teeth are firmly attached to your jawbone. You will also experience a protracted recovery process because your body’s immune system is weak. This also means that your chances of developing serious oral complications like infections after the wisdom teeth extraction are very high.
If you have further questions about wisdom teeth removal, talk to STL Oral Surgery today
