Michigan Stop Toothache

Wisdom Teeth - When Push Comes To Shove in Your Child's Mouth

When a child's permanent teeth appear, there's usually some push going on, hopefully in the right direction. Although any tooth can jostle its neighbors, the teeth that have the worst reputation are our third molars -- our wisdom teeth. They're the last to come out and often shove other teeth out of their way.

Most mouths can't usually accommodate wisdom teeth, and they end up pressuring the rest of the teeth, disrupting their alignment. They can often cause pain and swelling.

Routine X-rays, done when a person's around age 12, give us early warning of problem molars and tell us whether they need to be extracted. Wisdom teeth, like troublesome neighbors, everyone's a lot happier when they've moved out!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Wisdom Teeth Removal - How Wise Is It?

Any tooth has the potential to become impacted - that is, emerge in some oddball direction that crowds other teeth. But the most famous culprits are third molars, the last-to-emerge wisdom teeth.

Not many mouths can accommodate an impacted wisdom tooth, let alone, teeth. They often wind up pressing against their neighbors, ultimately pressuring the rest of the teeth to disrupt their alignment.

That’s not a wise thing to let happen.

Wisdom teeth get your attention when they cause pain and swelling. Routine X-rays, beginning around age 12, alert your dentist to potential problems before a wisdom tooth starts getting disruptive. X-rays can let you know whether those mighty molars must go with oral surgery.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.