Oops! Painful Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are those third molars that helped ancient humans to chew and eat raw foods. However, modern humans do not require these molars as we eat boiled, baked, and properly cooked food. Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to erupt and are found at the back of the dental ridges. They hardly play a vital role in chewing food. 

When to Get Rid of Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth can lead to many problems at times. Because of the smaller jaw, today's humans do not have enough space to accommodate the third molars. Due to the lack of space, the teeth become overcrowded and create problems. Sometimes the wisdom teeth become impacted. Although they emerge like any other regular tooth, sometimes, they may lead to certain complications. This painful oral condition is called impacted wisdom teeth. They remain trapped in your gum and are not able to erupt, causing gum pain. 

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause severe pain and discomfort. Also, when the food residues and microbes get deposited near the gum line of the impacted tooth, it can lead to the formation of an abscess, leading to infection. If the impacted wisdom teeth are left as it is for a long time, it can result in jawbone deterioration. The surrounding gums can also be affected, leading to gum disease.

Hence, you might need the help of a dentist because of the following conditions:

• Those wisdom teeth that was erupted in the wrong position can cause food to stick between the teeth and might incite fear of getting cavities and bacteria to cause bad breath.  
• Sometimes, the wrong position of the wisdom teeth can also create a mess while flossing. The floss becomes inaccessible to the last molars, leaving food particles unchecked.
• Many people face issues like half-grown wisdom teeth, allowing the germs and bacteria to enter into the gums, causing gum diseases. Pain, swelling, and stiffness in the jaw are common symptoms of this issue.
• Due to overcrowding, wisdom teeth can damage the neighboring teeth.
• Impacted wisdom teeth can form cysts on or near the impacted teeth. The severe impact of this might be the complete damage to your jawbone that supports your teeth. 

Reasons to remove the wisdom teeth:

Once a wisdom tooth shows up, it usually causes the following:

• Pain:Sudden pain in the jaw
• Infection: Impacted teeth disturb the neighboring teeth. 
• Cysts: A sack f fluid that displaced the teeth
• Tumors: It is rare but can develop around the wisdom teeth.
• Damage to neighboring teeth: Due to small jaw and overcrowding
• Gum disease: Infections and unwanted teeth can cause this.
• Tooth decay:  The new as well as the old teeth get affected. 

If you are suffering from discomfort caused by wisdom teeth, consult your dentist immediately. We will screen your mouth to determine the severity of the impaction. We will try to treat the condition using medication and surgery. But, if the tooth is beyond any form of treatment, teeth extraction would be the only solution. 

Extracting an impacted wisdom tooth involves the same procedure as any other tooth. Your dentist will numb your tooth using local anesthesia near the tooth before commencing the extraction. The tooth will be loosened from its sockets using dental instruments and extracted. We will also suggest suitable aftercare instruction to facilitate optimum healing.