Your wisdom teeth are the four large molars right at the back of your mouth and are the very last to erupt. Generally, most people get their wisdom teeth in their late teens or early 20s. While for some, the experience is uneventful, for others, it can be quite painful, but there is no hard and fast rule that says you will need to get your wisdom teeth removed.
How Can I Tell If My Wisdom Teeth Need Removing?
Suppose your wisdom teeth have yet to come through, and you visit our dentist in Newcastle regularly. In that case, we can monitor the development of your wisdom teeth during your regular checkups at West Bowmanville Family Dental. Digital dental x-rays will show us their precise location in the jawbone to see if they are likely to cause issues when they begin to erupt. One potential problem with wisdom teeth is that they can become impacted.
What Happens When Wisdom Teeth Are Impacted?
When wisdom teeth are impacted, they cannot erupt properly and can become stuck underneath the adjacent teeth or erupt sideways through the gum. Sometimes a wisdom tooth will partially erupt, and this can cause problems. For example, a partially erupted wisdom tooth in Clarington remains partly covered by gum, so it is very tricky to keep clean. Consequently, it’s more at risk of developing tooth decay, or the gum around the tooth may become infected. Also, when wisdom teeth don’t come through properly, it can crowd the adjacent teeth. Problematic wisdom teeth can cause a range of symptoms.
One of the most common symptoms is pain in your jawbone and the surrounding teeth, and it may feel as if your jawbone is aching or somehow under pressure. When you look at the gum right at the back of your mouth, it may be red and swollen where wisdom teeth are trying to erupt. It could become awkward difficult to chew and swallow food comfortably.
If it has been a while since you saw a dentist and you have symptoms like these, it’s worth getting in touch with a dentist in Courtice. A dental examination will soon determine if your wisdom teeth are causing problems and if they need to come out.
What Happens If Wisdom Teeth Do Need Removing?
Wisdom tooth extraction is a very common procedure, and we can make sure it is as smooth and as pain-free as possible. Our dentist can provide a local anesthetic to numb the area thoroughly, or we can discuss additional sedation to help you feel more comfortable and relaxed. When a wisdom tooth has erupted and needs to come out, its removal can be quite straightforward, but it is a little more complicated if it is impacted and remains stuck beneath the jawbone. In this case, it may be necessary to make an incision into the jawbone to expose the impacted tooth. Next, it is most likely cut into sections or little pieces to be taken out through a smaller opening. Finally, the surgery site can be stitched shut and left to heal.
What to Expect After Wisdom Tooth Removal?
The healing process after wisdom tooth extractions depends on how many teeth were removed and the degree of difficulty removing them. Straightforward tooth extraction is normally very quick to heal, but a more complex surgical procedure will take longer. Usually, there won’t be any complications, but something called dry socket can occur in a tiny percentage of cases. Dry socket is where the empty tooth socket becomes infected and increasingly uncomfortable, but it is very treatable and will only delay healing slightly.
