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3 Common Questions About Wisdom Teeth Removal

wisdom teeth removal cincinnatiMany people have horror stories about what happened when their wisdom teeth erupted, and a lot of people who don’t otherwise have dental anxiety are afraid of them. Cincinnati, OH dentist Dr. Marvin Kaplan offers personalized dental care to help alleviate your fears about your wisdom teeth. You might be surprised to learn that not everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed, and some don’t even have them at all!

1. Are They Really Called Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth usually erupt between the ages of 17-25, which is why they’re referred to as “wisdom” teeth. The saying goes that this is when people start leaving the home to search for wisdom, so that’s why the teeth are named for this period in life. Who knows?

They are clinically referred to as “third molars” because they are very similar to the first two sets of molars that develop in childhood and adolescence. You might remember a little bit of discomfort in middle school when your second set of molars was positioning itself. The process involved in the third set of molars is the same, but this time there’s less room for them to move around.

2. Does Everyone Get Wisdom Teeth?

There are some lucky people who were born without wisdom teeth! Your dentist can see them on a dental X-ray, and if there’s no sign of them below the gum line by your mid-twenties, they may never come in at all. The X-ray may also be able to help your dentist predict how they will erupt.

In some cases, however, the wisdom teeth can erupt many years beyond young adulthood. Next time you visit your dentist, ask if your wisdom teeth are still waiting to come out or if you could have been born without them. You may be surprised!

3. Do All Wisdom Teeth Come In At the Same Time?

Wisdom teeth don’t always erupt at the same time. In fact, all four may erupt together, but it’s also possible for the top row to erupt before the bottom, or vice versa, or even for one set to come in while the other doesn’t!

Not all four will definitely cause problems, either. Those horror stories you may have heard have to do with the teeth not having enough room to maneuver in the back of the mouth and becoming impacted, but this isn’t characteristic of all wisdom teeth cases.

If you’re concerned about your wisdom teeth, call Dr. Kaplan’s Cincinnati OH dentist office at (513) 540-4630 or request an appointment online today.