{"id":871,"date":"2026-06-19T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azdentistry.com\/blog\/?p=871"},"modified":"2026-06-22T05:58:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T05:58:47","slug":"wisdom-teeth-removal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azdentistry.com\/blog\/wisdom-teeth-removal\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Remove Unerupted Wisdom Teeth? What Your Dentist Might Not Tell You Right Away"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let’s imagine you’re in the dentist’s chair, expecting normal routine dental work, and he or she looks at your X-ray, looks at an X-ray shadow at the back of your jaw, and says something similar to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Your Wisdom Teeth aren’t coming down yet, but we should keep an eye on that.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or they may say,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You may want to think about having your wisdom teeth taken out.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now you’re wondering why you are talking about teeth that are still underneath your gums, and how those teeth are now having all the attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have asked yourself a question similar to, “Should I have my wisdom teeth taken out?”, “Do I need to have my wisdom teeth removed?”, and “Are there any reasons to get rid of my wisdom teeth?”, you aren’t the only person asking this question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly enough, wisdom teeth have your family members’ and friends’ tales of terrible experiences with their wisdom teeth, with swollen cheeks, ice cream cones, and all their TV shows stacked up waiting to be captured on video for a Saturday, while not recovering from the surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, let me explain what is underneath your gums, and if there is a reason to have those bad boys removed from your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Wisdom Teeth Anyway?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wisdom teeth are our last set of molars, coming in from approximately (17) to (25) years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These molars were once very useful to our ancestors because they ate tougher, more difficult-to-chew foods made up of many types of raw plant material, root vegetables, and uncooked meat. The need for additional chewing power and the loss of teeth at an earlier age created the primary function for wisdom teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we have evolved we evolved, so have our diets; thus, our ability to chew food is very different than our ancestors’ ability. As a result, the majority of modern-day Individual mouths\/cases lack sufficient room to allow for these newly-arrived teeth from the passage and development of our species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where many individuals have questions about whether everyone has wisdom teeth!!! The answer is “probably not!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people do not develop any (0%); however, there can be variations between one and four wisdom teeth. This is often dependent on genetic factors as well; for example, if your parents did not develop or have wisdom teeth, then there is a good chance that you too will not develop or have wisdom teeth at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does “Unerupted” Mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your wisdom tooth has not yet come through your gums fully into your mouth, it could be considered “impacted.” An impacted tooth may remain totally under the surface of your gums, partially visible, or it may have tried to grow but become stuck in the gums due to inadequate space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a dentist views your X-ray, they are often looking for indications of the potential for future complications due to your wisdom teeth. An important word is “could” – NOT “will.” Herein lies the beginning of the controversy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Dentists Recommend Wisdom Teeth Removal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Why<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Think about how difficult it would be to add another chair to an already packed dining table – this is similar to the experience of having one’s wisdom teeth come through the gum line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When wisdom teeth come in, they push against the backs of the molars, which can cause pressure, discomfort and crowding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of issues from this are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n