Have you ever wondered why your third set of molars is called wisdom teeth when there is absolutely nothing wise about them?  They are called wisdom teeth because these teeth generally appear during the late teens or early twenties, which has ironically been referred to as the “age of wisdom.”

Wisdom Teeth Cause Problems

So, if your third molars are not causing you any problems, then should you have them removed?  The answer is yes.  It is very unlikely that these teeth will be a valuable asset to your mouth.  On the contrary, wisdom teeth typically cause many problems including:

• Jaw pain
• Misalignment of surrounding teeth
• Infection
• Pain
• Swelling
• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
•  

I advise removal of wisdom teeth prior to problems developing.  Extraction is easier and much safer in younger people when roots are not fully developed and the bone is less dense.  Recovery and healing time increases incrementally with age.  Following wisdom teeth surgery, it will generally take about seven to ten days to recover for a younger person.  It is important to consider your school, athletic and/or musical schedules when scheduling surgery.

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For more information about wisdom teeth, please call Dr. M. James Clark at the Technology Forest office of Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.  Dr. Clark and his colleagues at Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery are board-certified oral surgeons practicing in The Woodlands, Conroe, Spring, Magnolia and Huntsville.