Are they left over from a time when we needed more teeth to chew rougher greens or were they replacement teeth for rotten older molars?
We aren’t entirely sure. Wisdom teeth usually start to come through into your mouth between the ages of 17 and 21 and most people have four but some have more or less or none. During this time your dentist will watch for the teeth and may need to take a full mouth x-ray to check the teeth are coming through well and not going to possibly cause problems such as getting stuck due to lack of space or not being straight.
If your wisdom teeth are not stuck or placing you at higher chance of getting gum inflammation or decay, then the wisdom teeth can stay where they are and be watched but if they do look like they may cause you problems early intervention can be beneficial. If they do need to come out your dentist will assess the benefits and risks of treatment as well as sedation options available.
The team at Beaches Dental Mona Vale is here to help.
