Whether you are a teenager or the parent of one, it is vital that you familiarize yourself with the process of developing your third set of molars. This last set, also known as your wisdom teeth, can lead to serious complications with your oral health.
Nobody enjoys the concept of surgery, but often extracting these before they can harm your smile is your safest and best bet. So make sure that you are regularly visiting your dentist during these years. X-ray imagery can allow us to track and monitor the development, so that before they do irreparable harm, we can extract them.
The force of this growth can lead to damage that is serious enough to include the cracking of teeth, so please take this seriously. Today, your Newport Beach, CA dentist explains why visits to the office are necessary during this time.
An Explainer
Many teens (and even parents) wonder why we would have an extra set of molars if we do not need them. And this is a fair question! Very rarely do we suggest the removal of a part of the body, so there needs to be a good reason for an extraction. The answer to this lies with our evolutionary development.
Early humans had a much larger mouth with stronger jaw power in order to rip through tough raw meats and plant material. After years of living off a cooked diet, our mouths have become slimmer. This leaves less room for the last set of molars that we grow.
Because of this, it can commonly lead to overcrowding and other alignment concerns. And since we are in the midst of losing them through evolution, some people develop malformed teeth. Their growth is much more erratic than that of other dental growth, which adds to the urgency in removing them.
Don’t Be Shy!
One of the best ways you have in protecting your smile from damage is always to visit your dentist’s offices regularly. If you set a strict schedule, we are best able to monitor any changes to your oral health. In this instance, our best weapon is through x-ray imagery.
With this, we are able to track the growth of new tooth material within your jaw bone. This way, we can see potential clashes before they occur, and can choose to extract these molars. Without your routine visits, we are unaware of the extent of the growth, and even the damage.
These can lead to serious complications, as well. Beyond radical changes to your alignment, it can even crack or break your teeth! It’s almost like a tree growing into a house, it will cause damage until the growth is removed. So please, do not ignore this concern, it can be very dangerous!
Keep Things Under Control!
If you want to know how we can monitor the growth of your new wisdom teeth, please give Dr. Hofkes at Balboa Dental Surgery a call at (949)630-0143. Or stop by our office here in Newport Beach, CA!
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