Wisdom teeth have a reputation. Mention them, and most people wince, remembering a friend’s swollen cheeks or their own recovery from surgery. But we tell patients in our Bensalem, PA, dental office all the time that not every wisdom tooth needs to come out. That’s right. Sometimes the best decision is to leave them alone. The key is knowing your situation.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
They’re your third molars, the last teeth to develop. They typically show up between ages seventeen and twenty-five, though the timing varies from person to person. Some people never develop them. Others have all four.
The problem is space. By the time wisdom teeth arrive, the rest of your teeth have already claimed their territory. So wisdom teeth often don’t have room to come in properly. That’s when trouble starts.
When Tooth Removal Makes Sense
We recommend removing wisdom teeth in several situations.
- They’re impacted: This means the tooth is trapped beneath the gum or bone and can’t erupt normally. Impacted wisdom teeth can push against neighboring teeth, cause pain, or form cysts. Some sit at odd angles and never break through.
- They’re partially erupted: A tooth that only pokes partway through the gum creates a perfect trap for food and bacteria. That can lead to infection, swelling, and gum disease around the tooth.
- They’re crowding your other teeth: Sometimes a wisdom tooth pushes on the molars next to it, shifting your bite or undoing orthodontic work.
- They’re hard to clean: Even a fully erupted wisdom tooth sits far back in the mouth. If you can’t reach it with a brush or floss, decay and gum problems are likely.
- They’re causing pain or infection: If a wisdom tooth hurts or has already caused an infection, it usually needs to go.
When We Can Leave Them Alone
Not every wisdom tooth is a problem. If a wisdom tooth has erupted fully, sits in a normal position, meets the opposing tooth correctly, and can be cleaned properly, there may be no reason to remove it.
We monitor these teeth at your regular checkups. We take X-rays to watch for changes. And we let you know if something starts to shift.
Some patients have wisdom teeth that never develop at all, or develop so deep in the bone that removal isn’t necessary. Every mouth is different.
What the Wisdom Tooth Removal Process Looks Like at Perfect Smiles of Bensalem
If we decide removal is the right call, we’ll walk you through everything first. We use digital X-rays and sometimes a CBCT scan to see exactly where the tooth sits and how close it is to nerves or sinuses.
We can do some simple extractions right in our office with local anesthesia. For more complex cases, like deeply impacted teeth, we may refer you to an oral surgeon we trust. Either way, we coordinate the referral and make sure you know what to expect before, during, and after.
Recovery usually takes a few days. Swelling and soreness are normal. We’ll send you home with clear instructions on ice, soft foods, and pain management.
Request a Wisdom Teeth Consultation Today
Wisdom teeth aren’t automatically bad. They’re just teeth that sometimes don’t fit. The only way to know whether yours should stay or go is to have a dentist look at them.
If you’re in your late teens or twenties, or if you’ve never had your wisdom teeth checked, now is a good time. We’ve been caring for Bensalem families since 1990, and we’ll give you a straight answer about what your mouth actually needs.
New patients can reach us at 215-770-1081 or request an appointment online.