Signature Smile

What You Should Know About Wisdom Teeth?

Definition

Wisdom teeth won’t make you smarter. They’re called that because they usually come in when you’re older, around ages 17 to 21.

These teeth are in the very back of your mouth, are the third and last molars on each side of the upper and lower jaws you get two on top and two on the bottom as part of a complete set of 32 adult teeth.

wisdom teeth

Wisdom Teeth Symptoms 

Have you ever felt like you were teething as an adult? It was probably in the back of your mouth, and the swelling you felt there was really a tooth trying to erupt. This is one of a few known wisdom teeth symptoms.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), several side-effects would deem it necessary for the removal of these teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth often cause the greatest discomfort, and ultimately harm your oral health as well.

Common Conditions

The most common conditions include:

  • Pain
  • Infection
  • Damage to adjacent teeth
  • Gum disease
  • Cysts
  • Tooth decay may set in as well, particularly if there is poor access to fill a tooth.

Reasons for Extraction Wisdom Teeth

Unfortunately, people experience problems with their wisdom teeth all the time. Sometimes they don’t have enough room to erupt, causing them to become impacted. Instead of the tooth coming in straight, in this case, it can lie on its side and press up against the tooth in front of it. This situation can cause crowding, improper bite alignments like photo and other problems as well

A partially erupted wisdom tooth may also produce a condition known as pericoronitis, an infection wherein bacteria from food, plaque, and other debris become trapped in between the space of the impacted tooth and the gum. Moreover, people who have undergone orthodontia have a greater lack of space for wisdom teeth to come in – another situation that would deem it ideal for removal.

Making the Decision

If these teeth do not offer any significant complications, they can remain untouched. But if the wisdom teeth are indeed problematic, it’s best to have them taken out. Make sure to visit your dentist so that he or she can check for signs that your wisdom teeth are starting to come through and decide if it’s in your best interest to keep or extract them. You will need to receive an X-ray to see how the teeth are coming in and if they might cause any problems in the future.

If your wisdom teeth symptoms indicate they need to be extracted, the procedure is usually performed by an oral surgeon or dentist. Although it might just involve local anesthesia, you may also be under general sedation, depending on the complexity of your treatment. Dentists usually recommend having wisdom teeth extracted at a younger age because the roots of these teeth are not fully developed, making for easier extraction. Therefore, the removal of the four wisdom teeth at once doesn’t interfere with one’s ability to properly bite, eat, or talk.

Complications after Extraction wisdom teeth

Dry socket After a tooth is extracted a blood clot forms in the tooth socket and seals the area so that it can heal. A dry socket occurs during the first five days after the extraction when the blood clot breaks down or is dislodged, it exposes the bone and nerves of the tooth. Only 2 to 5% of people will develop a dry socket.

A dry socket is very painful! To ease the pain, a dentist at Signature Smile Dental, Texas will rinse out the empty socket, remove any debris, and apply medicated dressings to protect the area and decrease the pain. They will prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection and a painkiller to decrease discomfort. With proper care, and rest a dry socket should heal in 7 to 10 days.

Resources:

colgate.com

webmd.com

We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. For more information call us today to answer all of your questions so get an appointment