Can Wisdom Teeth Affect Braces?

You might want to ask your orthodontist, such as John Redmond Orthodontics about whether your wisdom teeth can cause problems if you’re looking for braces. There’s a lot of myths and half-truths out there, so let’s help you to set the record straight. There’s no shame in asking questions of your orthodontist. In fact, that’s probably why they’re there.

The first thing you have to know when you are looking into getting braces and you have wisdom teeth, is what are the wisdom teeth. Not everybody has wisdom teeth, some people only have one or two. Sometimes people have all of them, some people have none. It’s different for every person and your dentist orthodontist can inform you as to whether you should worry about your wisdom teeth growing in.

Wisdom teeth of the third molars located right in the back of the mouth. Due to improved dental health and changes in our diet, we do not need her wisdom teeth as our preexisting generations did. Most people are going to have four wisdom teeth, two in the top and two in the bottom. However, some people never develop them in the gums, while others are there but do not erupt through the gums.

So before we go any further, let’s look at the following possible scenarios for your wisdom teeth:

  • All four wisdom teeth will erupt in the perfect position.
  • The teeth are going to erupt into a good position, but there is a gum flap covering it.
  • One or more teeth are going to erupt at an angle and be impacted.
  • One or more teeth that are going to remain under it are unerupted in the gum.
  • No wisdom teeth are going to be found on the x-ray.

The first myth we’re talking about today is that wisdom teeth should be routinely removed before you have braces. Obviously, your orthodontist is going to consider the wisdom teeth before they begin treating your teeth. If the teeth have not erupted yet or there is not enough room for them the orthodontist is going to recommend having them removed before they begin treatment. However, if there is enough room in the job for the wisdom teeth, the orthodontist is gonna recommend leaving the teeth and continuing with treatment and monitoring you as your teeth grow in.

The second myth is that braces are considered for impacted wisdom teeth. Braces are going to be an effective treatment method for impacted teeth, but not all impacted teeth are going to benefit from braces. Sometimes an orthodontist is going to be able to save an impacted tooth by making more room for it or using braces to pull it into an upright position. But not everybody is going to have enough room in her jaw for an impacted wisdom to because the surrounding tooth may have nowhere to go. Lack of space is the most common reason for removing your wisdom teeth.