1297 Hembree Rd Suite 202 
The third molars are known as “wisdom teeth.” These four teeth in the back of your mouth usually erupt during the late teens or early twenties. Unfortunately, they are known for causing more harm than good. The truth is, you don’t actually need those back molars to chew your food or speak. Many patients have their wisdom teeth extracted either because they are experiencing problems, or x-rays reveal there is potential for problems.
Commonly due to lack of space in the jaw, the wisdom teeth have a tendency to not fully emerge and become difficult to clean. Sometimes, however, wisdom teeth remain underneath your gums and become impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth are no fun to deal with!
While they don’t always cause symptoms, impacted wisdom tooth can become infected and even damage neighboring teeth. WebMD gives the following signs and symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth:
- Red or swollen gums
- Tender or bleeding gums
- Jaw pain
- Swelling around the jaw
- Bad breath
- An unpleasant taste in your mouth
- Difficulty opening your mouth
Years of research confirms that wisdom teeth are best removed when they are premature, or when the roots have not fully developed. This allows the extraction and recovery to be more conservative, with less complications. While patients are often advised to undergo wisdom teeth removal in their late teens or early adulthood, it is still an option to extract these back molars at a later stage in life too.
At Mitzi Morris, DMD, we proudly offer wisdom teeth removal in the comfort of our office. It is considered a minor oral surgery, but the procedure is performed with the use of anesthetics and sedation dentistry to ensure your comfort is protected at every step. Most patients return to normal activities and eating habits after 3-5 days. Call today to learn if your wisdom teeth are showing signs of trouble – you may not know it until dental x-rays are taken!