At around the age of 17, wisdom teeth either erupt - or try to, or fail entirely to erupt - in the back of your mouth. Because of the lack of room in the jaw for the large, sharp wisdom teeth, the dental community often encourages them to be removed. But why should you? Do your teeth need all that space? Or is there more to it than that?

From the moment you are born to the moment you pass, dental hygiene is important. Most of us remember only the visits to the office as a kid, the fillings covering our candy-born cavities. Some of us see dentures in our future. But there is more to it than that - healthy teeth require lifelong care and awareness of the problems even the healthiest mouth can bring - tooth grinding, wisdom teeth, and the ever-present tooth decay.

The intraoral examination consists of an inspection of the soft tissues (including the gingiva), the teeth, the occlusion, and the temporomandibular joint. Full-mouth roentgenograms should be taken. In addition, study models and Kodachrome photographs of the dentition may be helpful. It may be necessary to test the vitality of the teeth. The date of the examination should be noted. All data should be carefully charted because they become a part of the patient's record.