Wisdom teeth are the teeth that appear at the back of your mouth, on both upper and lower jaws. Your family and friends may have narrated extremely painful experiences that they have gone through as the teeth came out. However, wisdom teeth can also erupt gently without causing any pain; in fact, you may barely even notice that they have erupted.
So why is that the words ‘pain’ and ‘wisdom teeth’ are usually always mentioned together? Wisdom teeth are the last molars appearing, usually during the late teens or when you are in your twenties. Wisdom teeth thus got the name from making their appearance at a time when a person is supposedly mature and wise.
Appearing at a later age when the rest of the teeth have already appeared and settled into their spots, the wisdom teeth may not have enough space to occupy and thus get pushed against other teeth. This is what causes pain. On the other hand, if there is enough space, then wisdom teeth will come out smoothly and there is no pain at all.
When wisdom teeth gets pushed due to lack of space in the mouth, they often get misaligned as well, thus ending up in a position which can exert a lot of pressure on the adjacent teeth. This can also lead to damage of the jaw and in some cases even cause problem in the nerves. Because the teeth gets crowded, it becomes difficult to maintain oral hygiene as proper brushing and flossing cannot reach the spaces between the crowded teeth.
If the wisdom teeth does not erupt completely and is covered by part of the gum, it can lead to swelling in the gums. This can trigger bacterial infection, which left untreated can result in teeth decay. The infection may spread to other healthy teeth also.
Common reasons to remove wisdom teeth
Pain is one of the most common symptoms when the wisdom teeth grows at an angle. Removing wisdom teeth can get rid of this pain.
Infection in the teeth or jaws can also be another reason to consider getting the wisdom teeth removed. Sometimes the infection can multiply rapidly and even spread to the jaw bones. It is imperative that the teeth be removed because otherwise it can affect the jaw structure itself.
In some cases, a sac or cyst like structure may develop on the wisdom teeth. The dentists usually suggest removal of the teeth in this case.
Procedure for removing wisdom teeth
Regular dental examinations can alert you about possible problems in your wisdom teeth as they erupt. During dental consultations with Mayland dentists, they examine the X-rays to get a clear idea of how the teeth are positioned. If the teeth are still inside the gums and it still hurts, that usually means that they have erupted at a misaligned angle and would require some time to come out.
Wisdom tooth removal is done by highly skilled and experienced dentists at our dental centre.
Local or IV Sedation may be used, depending on the pain level and comfort of the patient. The dentist creates an opening in the gum to access the bone structure. The tooth is broken up into small pieces to for easy removal. Some teeth may be removed whole and won’t need to be broken up.
After your wisdom tooth is removed, the area is thoroughly cleaned to avoid any infection. The wound is also stitched.
After the procedure, our dentist will give you clear guidelines on how to care for the teeth. You might experience some swelling in the area where tooth has been removed. Pain killers and antibiotics may be prescribed to fasten the healing process. If the pain does not subside or the swelling does not go away, check back with our dentist for further remedial measures.
To know more about wisdom tooth removal, get in touch with us right away.
