Even though the days of loosing teeth may be behind us, I'm sure all of us can recall that childhood experience. Changes in the mouth occur throughout your life, and one such change that most adults deal with is the development and growth of wisdom teeth. According to the infant and pediatric dentistry and orthodontics professionals at Honolulu based Pediatric Dental Group, this change can lead to a wide variety of problems.

But what are wisdom teeth? When do they form? Let’s take a look:

• The Third Set: Simply put, wisdom teeth are a third and final set of molars that form and emerge behind existing ones. Typically, they appear when people are in their late teens or early twenties.
• Properly Aligned: In some cases, this final set of teeth is properly aligned and can actually be an asset to an existing set of teeth. Unfortunately, this is most often not the case.
• Misalignment: Misaligned wisdom teeth can impact existing molars and crowd existing teeth, leading to numerous problems up to and including nerve damage and damage to the jawbone.
• Other Problems: Another issue with these teeth is that they can be enclosed in soft tissue or only partially erupt through it. In the latter case, there is a significant risk of bacterial infection leading to pain, jaw stiffness and swelling. In addition, the positioning of these teeth makes dental hygiene difficult, leading to decay.

Given how grave some of these problems are, it’s important that The team at Pediatric Dental Group has the tools and expertise to track these symptoms as part of their comprehensive approach to pediatric dentistry.

To learn more about this practice, check out their website or simply call (808) 593-8828 to speak to a staff member.