An Austin, TX teenager’s rites of passage often includes passing their driving test or graduating from high school. But one passage that is becoming increasingly familiar is the removal of wisdom teeth before heading off to college. If your teen’s wisdom teeth are showing signs of emerging before they pack their bags for higher learning, it may be time to get them removed.

Warning Signs for Early Detection

It’s important to detect wisdom teeth early, especially if they have the potential to become impacted. As time goes on, the tooth will grow and it will become increasingly harder to extract as surrounding teeth shift or move closer to delicate nerves in the jaw.

There are a few ways you can detect if your teen’s wisdom teeth are about to emerge or have shown signs of erupting. Dr. Goehring of Geohring Dental here in Austin, TX agrees that wisdom teeth typically emerge between ages 17 and 25. Visit him for an examination, where he can determine the early stages of wisdom teeth eruption even before any symptoms show.

If you think your teen is already experiencing symptoms, typical warning signs include stiffness or soreness in the jaw, gums and teeth, irritation in the jaw or cheek, shifting nearby teeth, sinus pain, or elevated gum tissue covering the wisdom tooth.

Timeline of Procedure

Nothing causes more anxiety than discovering your wisdom teeth too late and you’re already well into the school year. Most procedures and recovery periods can require at least one to two weeks of recovery time. This doesn’t mean one to two weeks of isolated bed rest, but could mean one or two days of missing school and needing time for the wounds to heal before you can return to eating solid foods again. Care is needed for the surgical areas to make sure that clots don’t re-open or dry socket doesn’t develop in the cavity.

It’s recommended that wisdom tooth extraction be done in the summertime. Teens are typically out of school and there’s plenty of downtime for them to relax during post-surgery and focus on recovering and following post-operative instructions.

Schedule a Wisdom Tooth Consultation Today

If you have not had your teen checked for wisdom teeth, add it to your to-do list for back to school before they start experiencing painful symptoms. Contact Dr. Goehring at Goehring Dental today in Austin, TX for a no-obligation examination.