Wondering when your child should get their wisdom teeth removed?
The ideal time to book a consultation with an oral surgeon for an evaluation is around mid-teens.
Most people have their wisdom teeth removed some time in their teens or early twenties, although the process is less painful and easier for younger patients since their roots are not completely formed, the surrounding bone is softer, and there is less chance of damaging nearby nerves or other structures.
Removal of wisdom teeth at a later age, typically over 25, becomes more complicated as the roots have fully developed (and may involve the nerve). The jawbone is also denser.
Should your Child Have Their Wisdom Teeth Removed if They’re not Having Problems or Pain?
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to develop and appear in your mouth. They come in between the ages of 17 and 25, a time of life that has been called the “Age of Wisdom.”
When the wisdom teeth begin to descend, they can become encased in tissue, causing pain, swelling, and infection.
Wisdom teeth that make it through gum and bone without getting stuck often emerge into a mouth that doesn’t have room for them, crowding existing teeth and impacting the look, feel, and function of your smile.
Because crowded teeth are harder to clean, the risk of tooth decay and gum disease also increases.
Even if your child is not experiencing any problems or pain currently, there’s still a good reason to have them removed. Wisdom teeth that come in normally may still be prone to disease, according to a study by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation. AAOMS strongly recommends that third molars be evaluated by an OMS by the time a patient is a young adult.
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To learn more about having your child’s wisdom teeth removed, call us at [phone] to book a consultation. We have three locations, and we’d be happy to see you at any of them.
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