NOT ALL WISDOM NEED TO BE REMOVED. If your wisdom teeth are erupting straight and there is sufficient room for it to erupt properly into functional bite (occlusion), then there is no reason to have your wisdom teeth removed. Unfortunately, for the majority of us, wisdom teeth are not developing in the proper orientation (angulated), or there is insufficient jaw space to accommodate the wisdom teeth to erupt properly (into occlusion).

YOU DO NOT NEED TO EXHIBIT SYMTPOMS to initiate plans to remove your wisdom teeth. Often a lot of future problems (such as crowding, infections, damage to existing teeth) associate with wisdom teeth can be avoided by being proactive and having your impacted wisdom teeth removed.

In fact, it is standard of care for dentist to screen their patients in the early teenage years to detect or predict impaction. Often a panoramic radiograph is taken to visualize the developing wisdom teeth inside your jaw bone between ages 15 to 21 years of age. If your wisdom teeth are not growing in the right direction (angulated) or there is insufficient room, then your dentist is likely to recommend their removal before problems, and symptoms start.
It is advantageous to remove your impacted wisdom teeth sooner than later for the following reasons
• Undeveloped wisdom teeth inside your bone and gums are often safer to remove because the roots have not grown to their full length (often before age 21). Wisdom teeth roots during development will often grow into your sinus, or down into a big nerve (Inferior Alveolar Nerve). Longer roots can risk sinus perforation, or nerve paresthesia (numbness) and can be avoided if the wisdom teeth are removed prior to full root development.
• Further, wisdom teeth roots often curve, and hook as it grows during development, making removal of the tooth more challenging and more dangerous.
• Impacted wisdom teeth can be associated with cysts and certain bone lesions. Their removal will prevent the development of these cysts and lesions in your jaw.