What Can Happen If You Don’t Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Not having your wisdom teeth removed when you are in your teens or early twenties, before they become a health issue due to pain or impaction, is a game of chance. You can choose not to have the wisdom teeth extraction surgery, but you also run the risk of more serious problems down the road that could negatively impact your oral health.

If wisdom teeth are not removed when you are young and the procedure is straightforward, you risk a few possible outcomes depending on how your teeth eventually erupt, if they erupt at all. In some individuals, the wisdom teeth stay trapped in the jawbone and do not cause a problem, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Common issues include the following:

Impaction

If the teeth become trapped in the jawbone or gums either fully or partially, they are impacted and can cause swelling, pain, and pressure. This can lead to eventual infection and make it difficult to keep the adjacent teeth clean and free of debris due to the swelling.

Misalignment

Wisdom teeth may press against your other molars, shifting them out of alignment or pushing them against other teeth. The result may be crooked teeth that require orthodontic intervention later in life.

Oral Hygiene Issues

Partially erupted wisdom teeth or misaligned teeth are more difficult to clean. When you can’t reach between overlapping or partially impacted teeth, bacteria can cause infections, cavities, and gum infections. You may end up with tooth decay or periodontitis.

Cysts

An impacted wisdom tooth may develop a cyst on the gums, which can cause damage to nerves and bone tissue. A cyst can also impinge on the sinuses, leading to breathing issues or causing sinus headaches. In rare instances, a cyst could also harden, eventually becoming cancerous.

Nerve Damage

The roots of wisdom teeth continue to grow longer for years. If you are in your 30s, the roots of your wisdom teeth are significantly longer than they were when you were in your 20s and may impinge on the nerve bundles in the base of the jawbone, causing significant pain. When removing the teeth, the neve could be damaged, leading to permanent loss of feeling in the lips or jaw.

Any of the complications mentioned above would result in having to have your wisdom teeth removed. If you are in your 30s, 40s, or older, having your wisdom teeth removed will be more difficult than it would have been when you were younger. First, the roots of your wisdom teeth are longer, so your oral surgeon will have to cut deeper into the bone to access the roots and remove all of the tooth. Second, the roots may be entangled in nerves in the jawbone, requiring finesse and skill to remove the tooth without causing permanent nerve damage.

Finally, recovery is naturally slower because your jawbone becomes denser with age, and your pain tolerance is likely to be lower. Healing will take longer, and you will be more susceptible to infection or complications as you age. For all of these reasons, we encourage you to have your wisdom teeth removed now rather than later.

If you are interested in having your wisdom teeth removed now to prevent pain and potential complications later, please contact Pasqual Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Pasqual Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Office Phone Number 561-900-9080 to schedule an appointment.