You’ve been feeling something odd at the back of your mouth for a few days and the suspicion comes straight away: your wisdom tooth. It’s the last molar to come through, usually between the ages of 17 and 25, and it has a reputation for causing trouble. But not all of them need to come out. At our dental clinic in Málaga city centre, in El Corte Inglés, we explain which signs mean it’s best to extract it and when it can simply stay.
A wisdom tooth that arrives when there’s no room left
It all comes down to timing. By the time it appears, the rest of your teeth have already shared out the space, and often there isn’t enough room left. That’s why some come through without any fuss and others get stuck along the way.
When a wisdom tooth can’t find its place, it feels it and, sometimes, so does the tooth next to it. When it does find its place, it behaves like any other molar.
Four signs it’s best to extract the wisdom tooth
Your dentist will usually recommend extraction when any of these situations occurs:
- It has stopped halfway. It never fully comes through and stays trapped in the bone or under the gum.
- The pain or infection keeps coming back. Recurring discomfort is the tooth’s way of warning you.
- It’s pushing against its neighbour. If it presses on or damages the tooth next to it, removing it protects a tooth you do need.
- It has decay or there’s no way to clean it. When the brush can’t reach properly, the area becomes a problem.
When the wisdom tooth can stay
The other side of the coin: if your wisdom tooth has come through in the right position, is healthy and you can clean it without difficulty, there’s no reason to remove it. It stays as just another molar, with the same care as the rest and a quick look at every check-up.
So the question isn’t “when do I have it out?”, but “do I have to have it out?”. And that can only be answered by looking at your case.
X-ray: what you can’t see in the mirror
To decide, you need a check-up and an X-ray. The image shows the position of each wisdom tooth and whether it’s going to cause trouble or can stay put. With that information on the table, deciding is much easier and you know exactly why one option or the other is recommended.
Local anaesthetic and a few days of recovery
If the answer is extraction, fear of pain is usually the first thing that comes up. Here’s the good news: the extraction itself doesn’t hurt, because it’s done under local anaesthetic.
What is normal is some discomfort and a little swelling over the following days. This is managed with the instructions and medication your dentist prescribes, so you’ll know what to do from the moment you leave the surgery.
Your dentist in Málaga city centre
Our dental clinic is part of Semedi Salud, where you’ll find every speciality, and it’s in El Corte Inglés in Málaga, right in the city centre. If you want to know how your wisdom tooth is coming along, come and see us and we’ll assess it together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wait until it hurts before going to the dentist?
Better not. A tooth can stay trapped or press on the one next to it without showing any signs at first. A check-up with an X-ray tells you how it is before problems appear.
Could I need one removed and another left in?
Yes. Each tooth is assessed separately, so it’s possible that one has to come out while the other can stay without any problem.
Is an X-ray essential to decide?
Yes. You can’t see with the naked eye the position of a wisdom tooth that is still under the gum or in the bone, and that position is exactly what determines the decision.
