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 It’s Never too Late to Straighten Your Smile

Braces as an adult? No way. At least, that was what I thought when my dentist told me that I was going to have to see an orthodontist about my crooked teeth. But my teeth were so misaligned that they were causing me pain when I chewed, so I decided to at least look into it. Turns out braces today are nothing like the ones my friends had when I was a kid. Mine were practically invisible, and I didn't need to wear them that long. I started this blog to encourage other people like me who are nervous about the prospect of wearing braces as an adult. My straight smile is so worth the trips to the orthodontist, and wearing braces was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Read on to find out more about how you can straighten your smile.

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It’s Never too Late to Straighten Your Smile

3 Reasons To Remove Seemingly Problem-Free Wisdom Teeth

by Jacqueline Byrd

Though the average mouth has room for 28 teeth, many people have four additional teeth that try to erupt at some point. These teeth are known as wisdom teeth. Many wisdom teeth try to erupt through the gumline, but they aren't able to because there isn't enough room. When this happens, your wisdom teeth are said to be impacted. Not all impacted wisdom teeth cause pain or obvious problems.

If your wisdom teeth aren't currently causing you any issues, you may wonder why you should have them removed. Keep reading for a few arguments that support removing seemingly trouble-free wisdom teeth.

1. Some Effects Caused by Your Wisdom Teeth Take Time to Develop

It takes time for complications caused by your wisdom teeth to develop. Sometimes, these complications are silent and take years to develop. 

Wisdom teeth may come in sideways, rather than vertically. If this occurs, they can damage your surrounding teeth or even cause them to shift. Should this happen, you'll need more than just wisdom teeth removal to remedy your issues; you'll also need orthodontic treatment to adjust your teeth back to their appropriate positions.

Another silent issue associated with wisdom teeth is the development of a cyst in the sac where the wisdom tooth develops. This cyst can harm your surrounding teeth or your jaw bone. In rare cases, it's possible for this cyst to turn cancerous. 

2. Waiting Until You Feel Pain May Put Your Overall Health at Risk

If you decide to wait until your wisdom teeth are causing pain to have them removed, this can put your overall health at risk. If a wisdom tooth partially erupts, but doesn't have enough room to completely enter your gums, this makes it more susceptible to bacteria and tooth decay. It's also hard to properly clean a partially erupted tooth.

At this point, any pain you feel is likely due to infection. Bacteria from the infection can eventually spread to your bloodstream and your brain, resulting in serious complications or death. 

3. It's Easier to Remove Wisdom Teeth When You're Younger

As you get older, your bones get harder. The harder your bones are, the more difficult it will be for your dentist to remove your wisdom teeth.

When your bones are softer, you're less likely to experience complications related to the procedure and more likely to have a shorter recovery period with lower pain levels. Some problems associated with late wisdom teeth teeth removal include excessive bleeding and damage to your surrounding teeth and jaw.

For more information about wisdom tooth extraction, contact a dentist in your area.

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