Wisdom teeth usually come in when you’re older, around ages 17 to 21, hence their name. These teeth are molars at the very back of your mouth. They complete the set of 32 adult teeth, with two on top and two at the bottom. Since they come in last, Wisdom Teeth Jasper usually don’t have enough room to emerge or develop normally and are more likely to become impacted or stuck beneath your gums. Impacted wisdom teeth may cause no apparent or immediate problems but may sometimes cause pain and other dental problems.
Why are wisdom teeth taken out?
As mentioned above, wisdom teeth may become impacted or fail to erupt fully due to insufficient room. Impacted wisdom teeth are usually hard to clean, making them more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease than other teeth. An impacted wisdom tooth can also become infected, and you may experience signs and symptoms like:
- Swollen and bleeding gums
- Jaw pain
- Swelling around the jaw
- An unpleasant taste in your mouth
- Bad breath
- Difficulty opening your mouth
Most of the time, people remove impacted teeth to eliminate the pain, but some dentists recommend removing them even when you experience no symptoms to prevent future problems like:
- Bone loss. The sack of tissue around a tooth can grow into a cyst before the tooth comes in, leading to bone loss in your jaw.
- Damage to surrounding teeth. The impacted wisdom tooth can damage nearby teeth by eating away the roots.
- Plaque and bacteria accumulation
However, many public health experts and researchers disagree with the idea of taking out otherwise healthy teeth. If your dentist suggests wisdom teeth removal and you are uncertain if you should, you can always get a second opinion.
What happens during wisdom teeth extraction?
A simple extraction is all you need if your tooth has come in fully. But if the tooth is embedded in your gum, your oral surgeon removes it surgically. For a simple extraction, your dentist numbs your gums and injects local anesthesia in the areas surrounding the impacted tooth. Using an elevator, your dentist loosens the tooth and pools it with dental forceps. The dentist then cleans the area and packs it with gauze to stop bleeding. After a simple extraction, you will bleed a little the first day, and your gums may also be sore and swollen for a few days.
If your tooth is below the gum line, your oral health professional removes it surgically. Some dentists refer their patients to an oral surgeon, but many dentists perform surgical extraction routinely. During the operation, you will receive local anesthesia and sedation; you won’t feel pain, and you’ll be sleepy, so you won’t remember much. Your oral surgeon will then make an incision in your gum and remove tooth bones to access the root. Cutting the tooth into pieces helps keep the hole as small as possible. Once the tooth is out, the surgeon closes the wound with stitches and packs the socket with gauze to prevent bleeding.
Pain, bleeding, and jaw swelling are expected after the surgical removal of wisdom teeth. You’ll receive post-operative instructions for wound care and pain management.
If you have impacted teeth, consult your oral health professional at Advanced Dental Care of East Texas to establish if they need to be removed.
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