Impacted wisdom teeth happen when there’s no room for your wisdom teeth to emerge. Your third molars will try to erupt through your gumline, but due to an underlying problem, won’t be able to.
What this means is that wisdom teeth get stuck either underneath the gumline or only partially erupt through the gumline. Either one of these is a situation that requires professional care.
Your impacted wisdom tooth will eventually need to come out before it begins causing other problems. When should you get it out and why?
When Your Dentist Recommends Extraction
It’s imperative that you see a professional dentist for your impacted wisdom tooth. He or she can let you know when extraction would best be completed. You don’t want to wait to see a dentist when it comes to impacted wisdom teeth.
Impacted wisdom teeth are essentially trapped inside your jawbone. Leaving them alone could mean incurring jaw pain or even complications that would make extraction more difficult. If there are complications during your extraction, not only could the procedure be more expensive, your recovery time could take longer.
Signs to look out for with impacted wisdom teeth include pain, swelling, bleeding, or bad breath, which could mean you have an infection. Your dentist or oral surgeon can help you decide when the best time to extract your impacted wisdom tooth is.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth Can Ruin Orthodontic Work
Impacted wisdom teeth are more than just nuisances that you need to get out. They can cause some major problems if left alone, even if there’s only one of them. If you’ve had any previous orthodontic work done, impacted wisdom teeth can ruin it.
These wisdom teeth can push against your rows of teeth, making them crowd together and pushing them forward. Teeth can quickly become misaligned and you may even need a second set of braces after the removal if you wait too long.
Impacted wisdom teeth can also cause infections. This is because impacted wisdom teeth that partially erupt through the gums can be very difficult to clean. Food particles and plaque can cause decay that simply can’t be reached without help from your dentist.
What to Expect
Millions of people have their wisdom teeth removed every year without issue. This is a relatively simple procedure that’ll have you back to your old self in no time. Your dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon who can conduct the removal. You’ll be mildly sedated, the teeth will be extracted, and you’ll go home the same day.
Following your oral surgeon’s instructions for healing can help you to recover quickly and safely from your wisdom tooth removal. After you heal, your smile will be back to normal and you’ll no longer have any problems from your wisdom teeth!
Are you seeing signs of impacted wisdom teeth? Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your dentist. He or she can take x-rays and tell if your wisdom teeth are impacted. If they are, an oral surgeon can further help you identify when an extraction would be needed. Don’t put off an impacted wisdom tooth, it could get worse!
