There’s no room to grow?!
Truthbe told, with age comes wisdom; wisdom teeth to be specific. These “third molars” typically emerge when you are between the ages of 18 to 26, therefore, our jaws often do not have sufficient space to accommodate these wisdom teeth. If this happens, you may need to undergo an extraction or surgery to remove the newly-grown teeth.
The most-telling symptom of impacted wisdom teeth is pain. Wisdom teeth could also manifest in the form of headache, aching jaws, swollen gums, difficulty chewing food, bad breath, or a combination of them.
Do I need to remove my wisdom teeth?
If you are one of the lucky ones who have enough space in your jaw, chances are, your wisdom teeth can grow out properly. Wisdom teeth that are healthy and growing correctly will not need to be removed.
However, if your wisdom teeth are “impacted” and is causing you pain, then definitely the problematic teeth need to be removed lest they cause any complications. It will take anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes (or even longer) to remove your wisdom teeth. You may experience bleeding, swelling and bruising for the first few days. However, you won’t have to suffer for long, for this will usually subside after a few days.
What are some unwanted complications that can result from impacted wisdom teeth?
Impacted wisdom teeth can potentially lead to a series of notorious wisdom teeth complications. Among them is damage to nearby molars, cysts, teeth damage, bacterial infection, caries, etc.
Perhaps you can imagine what were to happen if your wisdom teeth were to force its way out of your already-teeth-filled jaws. The teeth may not be able to grow out properly. The surrounding teeth (beside your wisdom teeth) may be pushed aside and chances are,you can kiss your perfectly straight teeth goodbye.
If there is a lack of space, your wisdom teeth may also erupt partially through the gums. As these area are generally inaccessible and hard to clean, the site may become a magnet for bacteria to fester, leaving you vulnerable to caries, gum disease and oral infection.
The only way to eliminate these complications is to root out the source of the problem – the impacted wisdom teeth! In other words, your dentist or surgeon will have no choice but to extract or operate to remove the problematic teeth.
When is the best time to visit the dentist for your “impacted” wisdom teeth?
By now, you would’ve realised how severe wisdom teeth complications can be. Have you been feeling a dull pain in the back of your jaw for the past few weeks or plagued by unexplained headache or swollen gums?
Once you experience the symptoms of an impacted wisdom teeth or suspect that your wisdom teeth are erupting, it is only wise to visit the dental office immediately.Through an X-ray, your dentist or teeth surgeon can easily see the extent of the “impact” and determine if it is necessary to have your wisdom teeth plucked out or operated upon. You should not wait until there is pain, or worse, until you can no longer tolerate the pain. It is often best to remove the wisdom teeth as soon as possible even before it causes you any problems.
