Wisdom teeth are third molars that sit at the back of your mouth. Wisdom teeth don’t emerge at the same time as all your other teeth, so sometimes they can cause serious problems if they emerge improperly. If wisdom teeth are not removed correctly or in a timely fashion, there can be some serious health consequences. Learn more about the wisdom teeth removal process and how you can tell when those teeth are ready to come out.
Symptoms
What are the telling signs that you need wisdom teeth removal? When wisdom teeth impact, there aren’t always immediate symptoms. You may not even feel it happen! If one of your molars become infected, there may be some more serious symptoms including:
Swollen gums
Jaw pain
Problems opening and closing your mouth
Bad taste in your mouth
Soreness and bleeding of gums
If you recognize any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your dentist immediately and see when they can treat you.
Causes
When your wisdom teeth impact through your mouth, it’s most likely because they no longer have any room and can’t develop normally.
Wisdom teeth can develop anywhere from your teenage years into adulthood, around the ages of 17-24. Some lucky people may never have to experience wisdom teeth removal if their teeth line up correctly with the rest. Most wisdom teeth, however, won’t develop normally and become impacted, resulting in the need for wisdom teeth removal.
Complications
Your wisdom teeth could encounter and cause many problems if they aren’t removed right away.
Crowding: Your wisdom teeth could put pressure on your other teeth, causing them to start shifting in your mouth to make room. It could damage your second molars and cause infection in the back of your mouth.
Decay: Impacted wisdom teeth are at higher risk for tooth decay due to how difficult they are to clean inside the mouth.
Gum Disease: Due to the difficulty of cleaning and tenderness of the gums after your wisdom teeth come through, it’s possible that you can develop a gum disease condition due to not being able to correctly clean the area.
Prevention
Wisdom teeth impaction is impossible to prevent, but with regular dental check-ups and x-rays, your dentist can monitor your wisdom teeth and determine when you’ll need wisdom teeth removal.
Contact Parkcrest Dental Group to Schedule an Appointment
Make an appointment with Parkcrest Dental Group today. We understand that taking care of your wisdom teeth is important. Our team of doctors, assistants, and staff are all dedicated to ensuring our patients receive the care and treatment solutions they need. If you would like to schedule an appointment call us at 417-887-1220.