Many people tend to get their wisdom teeth removed as young adults, typically around ages 17 and 25. In doing so, they’re able to avoid a variety of oral health issues that tend to arise from impacted final molars. However, if you’re around your 30s or older, you might be wondering if you still have time to undergo an extraction procedure. Read on to learn why there’s no age limit for removing your wisdom teeth.
Why Would You Need Wisdom Tooth Extractions as an Adult?
In many cases, your dentist will recommend extracting your third molars if they suspect that they’ll pose a risk to your oral health in the future. If you visited them routinely when you were younger and they never suggested this treatment, then it’s likely they didn’t detect any potential problems at the time. After all, some people can keep their wisdom teeth all of their life without any issues.
That said, even if you experienced no problems during your youth, this could change over time. Some people can potentially develop infections or cysts around their wisdom teeth, or their entire smile can start to shift out of alignment due to impaction. For these reasons, you’ll want to visit your dentist every six months so that they can monitor your mouth and check if your molars are forming any problems. If they detect potential issues, they can recommend scheduling you for wisdom tooth extractions to protect your smile.
What Should You Expect After Your Procedure?
No matter your age, you can always consult your dentist about getting your final molars removed. However, you might expect a different experience compared to younger patients. This is because our bones usually become harder over the years, which can make it more challenging to extract your wisdom teeth now than if you had them removed as a young adult. Your dentist may also need to perform a more invasive process and you may undergo a longer healing period.
Even so, this shouldn’t stop you from successfully removing your wisdom teeth and returning to good oral health. Furthermore, your dentist can provide you with detailed guidelines on how to ensure a smoother recovery, such as practicing excellent oral hygiene, getting plenty of sleep, and taking the right dosage of pain relievers.
Whether you’re 20 or 90 years old, you can still be eligible for wisdom tooth extractions! Speak with your dentist if you’re interested, and they’ll be more than happy to help.
About the Practice
Our team at Westgate Dental Care is obsessed with delivering exceptional and safe dental care for our patients. We’re comprised of highly trained and experienced staff that can provide multiple kinds of treatments, such as wisdom tooth extractions for any age group. If you’d like to schedule an initial consultation for removing your final molars, don’t hesitate to visit our website or contact us at 847-577-7171.