Your last set of teeth to come in are your wisdom teeth, also known as third molars. Between the ages of 17 and 25, they often erupt (break via your gums). These teeth may sometimes emerge in line with your neighboring teeth without creating any problems; sometimes they get caught fully or partially in your jawbone or gums. When this occurs, it is known as impaction.
Gum disease, cavities, and infections are just a few of the dental health problems that affected wisdom teeth can bring on. You can contact us to get tooth extractions in Ipswich or to schedule an appointment for a dental examination.
Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Tooth
While some people with affected wisdom teeth won’t have any symptoms at all, others may.
Impacted wisdom teeth may pierce the gums, exposing some of the gum tissue. A slightly infected wisdom tooth is what this is. Food may become trapped by a partially impacted wisdom tooth, which can also make cleaning the tooth more challenging. A partially impacted tooth can be excruciatingly painful for some people. Only an x-ray taken by a dentist in Ipswich or oral surgeon will reveal whether a wisdom tooth that is partially through the gum is indeed impacted.
You could experience symptoms like these if the tooth becomes infected or results in additional problems:
- Aching or swelling in the jaw area
- Gums with red, puffy, or bleeding
- A terrible taste in your mouth
- Unable to open your mouth and bad breath
In some situations, the damaged tooth might never emerge from the gums. A totally impacted wisdom tooth is what this is. Thus, you might need to get tooth extractions near you.
How Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth Treated?
Your dentist near you might advise having your impacted wisdom teeth removed if they are the cause of any symptoms or dental issues. Surgery to remove wisdom teeth is typically performed as an outpatient. You can return home that day.
The procedure, known as a wisdom tooth extraction, is carried out by your dentist.
Your doctor may prescribe anesthetic medications to induce a particular type of anesthesia as part of the procedure, such as:
- To relax you and block pain, local anesthetic.
- To numb your mouth is combined with sedative anesthesia.
- To put you to sleep and block off all sensations during the surgery, use general anesthesia.
Before extracting the tooth, the surgeon will make a slit in your gums and remove any troublesome bone. They will use stitches to close the wound and gauze to fill the area. Typically, the complete procedure lasts between 30 and 60 minutes.
It could be more difficult for your surgeon to remove your teeth if they are totally impacted and deeply embedded in your gums or jawbone than if they have just broken through the gum.
Is It Necessary to Remove Impacted Teeth?
Your dentist might advise not doing anything with your impacted wisdom tooth if it isn’t bothering you.
In the medical world, there is disagreement regarding what to do with impacted wisdom teeth that don’t manifest any symptoms. Some dentists feel that in order to avoid more issues, they should be removed. Others argue that they ought to remain in place.
You’ll need to be kept under close observation for any potential dental issues if you and your doctor decide against having surgery. It’s crucial to floss around your wisdom teeth and schedule routine dental appointments.
What Can You Get?
It’s possible that an impacted wisdom tooth won’t create any issues at all. If you do experience symptoms, surgery might be required. It might be more effective to have your wisdom teeth removed when you’re younger.
If your wisdom teeth are affected, discuss your treatment options with our Ipswich Bay Dental dentist or oral surgeon.
