What You May Not Know About Impacted Wisdom Teeth – Wisdom Teeth Surgery
Wisdom teeth (third molars) come out last and it is possible for you to have four of them at the rear of your mouth. They become impacted when they don’t have adequate space to develop normally. Impacted wisdom teeth can give you pain and lead to damage of other teeth in your mouth, including other dental issues (wisdom teeth surgery).
In some instances impacted wisdom teeth may not give you any problem. But due to the fact that it is not easy to clean them, they may be more exposed to gum disease and tooth decay than your other teeth. They are usually extracted if they bring about pain or other dental problems. In fact, it is recommended that they should be removed, through wisdom teeth surgery, even when they are not causing any problem for now, so that future complications can be prevented.
Symptoms
Usually, no symptom is associated with impacted wisdom teeth, but if they are infected or cause damage to your other teeth, you will notice some symptoms. Some of these symptoms include bleeding or tender gums, swollen or red gums, jaw pain, bad breath, swelling around the jaw, hardship opening your mouth, among others.
When To See A Doctor
When you start experiencing symptoms around the last molar which may be connected to an impacted wisdom tooth, you should endeavor to see your dentist. You will be properly examined and treatment options will be recommended for you including wisdom teeth surgery.
Causes
Impacted wisdom teeth are caused by the inability of the third molars to erupt and develop in a normal circumstance. They usually erupt in late teens and early twenties. In most instances, the mouth may be too crowded for them to develop properly and this makes them to be trapped or impacted. They may emerge partially and you may not see them breaking through the gums.
Complications
Some of the problems associated with impacted wisdom teeth include cysts, damage to other teeth, tooth decay, gum disease, just to mention a few.
Cysts
Wisdom teeth are formed in a sack in the jawbone. If the sac is filled with liquid, a cyst will be formed which can destroy your nerves, teeth and jawbone. This can lead to a non cancerous tumor in rare occasions. This problem can be fixed through the removal of bone and tissue.
Damage To Other Teeth
If the second molar is pushed by the wisdom tooth, the former may be damaged and this can lead to the escalation of exposure to infection in that particular area. In addition, this pressure can lead to crowding complications of other teeth and this may necessitate an orthodontic therapy in order the get the teeth straightened.
Decay
Wisdom teeth that are partially impacted are more exposed to tooth decay than your other teeth. Since wisdom teeth are very difficult to clean, bacteria and food debris will easily get stuck in between your gum and the partly erupted tooth.
Gum Disease
Gum disease, especially inflammatory gum problem known as pericoronitis, can be caused by impacted wisdom due to difficulty involved in cleaning them. You may need to consider wisdom teeth surgery is order to prevent this complication.
Prevention
It is not possible to prevent impacted wisdom teeth. However, you can make sure that you visit your dentist every six months for proper cleaning and checkup. So that the emergence and development of your wisdom teeth will be properly monitored.
Diagnosis
You will be properly examined so that it will be ascertained that your wisdom teeth are truly impacted. Your dental x-rays will be taken. While your gums and teeth will be perfectly examined. Your medical history will also be analyzed. This will go a long way in helping your dentist to formulate an ideal treatment plan for you.
Treatment
In a situation where by your impacted wisdom teeth cannot be managed, the treatment option for you may be wisdom teeth surgery. The surgical procedure will be used to extract the teeth. So that they don’t cause complications for you.
Surgical Removal
Surgical removal is the option for painful impacted wisdom teeth. Especially those with infection, tooth decay, cyst and so on. The extraction is carried out on an outpatient basis. Hence, you can go back home on the same day.
The local anesthesia will be administered on you. So that the extraction site will be deadened and you will not feel any discomfort. In other instances, general or sedation anesthesia may be used.
An incision will be made by your oral surgeon or dentist in your gums. While any bone blocking access to the root of the impacted tooth will be removed. As soon as the removal is carried out, the wound will be closed by your dentist with the aid of stitches. And the empty space will be packed with gauze.
Side Effects
You should expect bleeding, swelling and pain after the extraction. You may have problems opening your mouth wide. Because of the swelling but this is not common. Your dentist will give you all the necessary instructions that will help you to manage the pain along with swelling and care for your wounds. You may be asked to use pain medication for pain management. And cold compresses for the purpose of reducing swelling.
In rare instances, you may experience bone exposure or agonizing dry socket if blood clot is forfeited from the socket after the surgery. There may also be socket infection due to ambushed food particles or bacteria. It is also possible to experience damage to neighboring teeth, sinuses, jawbone and nerves.
Conclusion
It is essential for you to get the from your wisdom teeth surgery. You should let your dentist know your concerns and expectations. so that you will be able to help you in achieving the result. You must also ensure that an experienced dentist or oral surgeon handles your treatment. This will go a long way in ensuring that there are less complications after the procedure.