Your dentist says you need to have your wisdom teeth taken out. But they don’t hurt, you say, so why remove them?
These days, oral surgery to remove wisdom teeth is a standard practice — almost a rite of passage for young adults. It’s not always necessary, though.
Preventive Efforts ,
Still, just because your wisdom teeth aren’t a source of pain doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong. The teeth could be stuck, or impacted. That means they can’t break through your jaw and into your mouth. Maybe your mouth is too small to make room for them, or the teeth could be growing at an angle to other teeth. They can damage the tooth next door if they push up against it.
Some dentists take out healthy molars to prevent problems later on. As you age, the bones in your mouth get harder. That makes your teeth tougher to remove.
If you wait, you could have problems after surgery that range from heavy bleeding and fractured teeth to severe numbness and minor loss of movement in your jaw. These troubles could last a few days or a lifetime.