Even if your youngster practices proper oral hygiene and has no known problems, it’s important to schedule twice-yearly exams and X-rays. One of the reasons for this is to keep an eye on wisdom teeth.
If your child’s wisdom teeth emerge during adolescence, it’s important to work with your pediatric dentist on a course of action.
When a wisdom tooth (or third molar) tries to erupt but is obstructed by the adjacent tooth, it becomes impacted.
This can cause a variety of issues:
- It may become inflamed
- It may become painful
- It may trap particles of food that lead to tooth decay or gum disease
It’s difficult for individuals of any age to clean partially-erupted wisdom teeth. Since they have a high risk of tooth decay, dentists pay special attention to them.
If your youngster has braces, or you are planning for orthodontia in the future, you’ll need to involve your orthodontist in decisions regarding wisdom teeth.
Not all wisdom teeth need to be extracted—but all of them need to be monitored.
If your child hasn’t had an exam or X-rays in the past year, call 760-633-3033 to request an appointment at La Costa Dental Excellence.
Contact La Costa Dental Excellence:
760-633-3033
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
7730 Rancho Santa Fe Rd Ste 106
Carlsbad, California
92009