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The third molars, also called wisdom teeth, are a curious subject. They are considered to be a remnant of an earlier time in human history when our diet consisted of more unprocessed plants and grains than we presently consume. As our diet changed, the teeth became less necessary, and—in fact, a significant portion of the population today does not even develop them. Some people only have wisdom teeth on the top, some on the bottom, and some have none at all. For most people, wisdom teeth are not needed for proper dentition. In some cases, allowing them to erupt can cause a perfectly aligned bite to become crowded. Due to their location, they are not as easy to keep clean as other teeth, and are therefore prone to developing cavities. Many adults who were told they had ample space in the jaw and chose to retain their wisdom teeth wind up opting to have them extracted later in life when they start causing problems. They also have the potential to become impacted when they are trying to erupt, which can lead to painful symptoms. For these reasons, many dentists advise their patients to have their wisdom teeth extracted and be done with it. This leads to the question of timing. What is the best time to have wisdom teeth removed? The standard recommendation is to have wisdom teeth removed before age 20, somewhere between 16 and 19 years of age. This window is based on the fact that the teeth have less developed roots at this stage and the surrounding bone is less dense. This makes it easier to remove them without complications. Wait too much longer and the roots will be longer and more firmly embedded into the tissues of the jaw. Allowing the wisdom teeth to erupt and claim space in the jaw can also lead to overcrowding, so an ideal time to get them out is just before they erupt. The caveat to all these general recommendations about wisdom teeth, of course, is that every mouth is different. Some young people will be at the ideal stage to have the wisdom teeth extracted by age 15 or 16, and some people may need to wait until they are 20 or older. There really isn’t a precise deadline that works for everyone. We all have different genetic traits that affect the way our teeth erupt. If you are the parent of a teenager, the best way to make sure you are doing the right thing for your child is by taking advantage of routine dental visits. When you take your child to the dentist regularly, he or she will be able to chart the growth of your child’s wisdom teeth throughout the teen years. Wisdom teeth first start forming in the jaw at about age 10, and they can be seen clearly in dental x-rays. By monitoring when they start developing and how quickly they grow, your regular dentist can estimate the best window of time for extraction. Even though the standard recommendation for everyone is between 16 and 19 years of age, the actual best time for your child may fall anywhere within that range. The best thing you can do is trust your child’s dentist to estimate the optimal time for removal. Following your dentist’s advice will help ensure the extraction can be performed as conservatively as possible, with little damage to the surrounding tissues. When you follow your dentist’s recommendation, you reduce the likelihood of complications and reduce the chance of your child enduring painful symptoms—either before or after surgery. Ultimately the things you should know about wisdom teeth are this: - Not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed. However, you will probably want to have your child’s wisdom teeth extracted to avoid potential problems with crowding or dental problems later in life. - The best time for extraction will probably fall somewhere between age 16 and 19, although it may be earlier or later. The only way to know for sure is to get a recommendation from a dentist who has monitored your child’s growth via dental x-rays for a number of years. To learn more about wisdom teeth, visit Dr. Chris Tye's site for his Colleyville, TX oral surgery practice. Texas Oral Surgery Specialists
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