So many people get their wisdom teeth extracted, that some dental patients think it is a necessity, but there are cases in which you don't have to go through a wisdom teeth extraction. Here are five signs you can avoid this procedure.

1. You don't have any wisdom teeth.

About a thousand years ago, there was a mutation and someone was born without wisdom teeth. This mutation continues to exist in modern times, and as a result, some people are born without wisdom teeth. If you fall into this category, you obviously don't need to have your wisdom teeth extracted as you don't have any. However, simply because your wisdom teeth have not erupted doesn't necessarily mean you don't have them. You should get an x-ray as part of your dental check up and make sure that they are not there, impacted in the back of your mouth.

2. Your wisdom teeth have come in straight.

If you have wisdom teeth, the manner in which they come in can have a huge impact on whether or not you need to remove them. In particular, if the teeth come in sideways or are very crooked, they may need to be removed before they start to push the surrounding teeth out of alignment. However, if your wisdom teeth have come in straight, you may not need to have them removed.

3. Your wisdom teeth aren't creating dental issues.

When deciding if you should keep your wisdom teeth or not, you also need to take into account the effect they are having on your mouth. In particular, are they causing decay to the teeth nearest them? Have your gums started having issues since your wisdom teeth erupted? If you have answered "yes" to either of these questions, you may need to talk with a dentist about removal. However, if you have answered "no", your wisdom teeth may be fine.

4. You can brush your wisdom teeth easily.

If you have not had any dental problems related to your wisdom teeth yet, you should think about the risk for future problems. In particular, if you cannot reach to the back of your mouth to brush or floss your wisdom teeth, you may want to consider extraction. For example, if your mouth is too small to easily accommodate a toothbrush reaching that far back or if you have dexterity issues that make it hard to reach those back teeth, those are also signs that you should talk with a dentist about extraction.

5. You don't have trouble chewing.

Finally, consider how it feels to use your wisdom teeth. If you can chew easily, that's a sign you should keep them. If not, extraction may be right for you.

However, before making a final decision, you should schedule a dental check up and speak to a dentist about your exact situation.