Wisdom teeth could later erupt in early adulthood. They are the final molars one could have in their lifetime although they are rendered useless by most people although they played a functional role in crushing and grinding hard foods for the last stages of our specie’s evolution.
Wisdom teeth are often associated with pain, discomfort, and even damage at full, and this is why wisdom teeth removal services are offered in dental clinics and hospitals by means of surgery. Sometimes, there are harmless, and some doctors may recommend the patient to not remove it. However, these teeth could develop and grow sideways that create a negative impact on the adjacent teeth and jaw resulting in damage and breakage. This case is called impacted wisdom teeth.
Impacted teeth can cause huge discomfort to the patient and other complications, thus they are oftentimes advised to be removed.
What are the Symptoms?
Impacted teeth may or may not have symptoms as they start growing. However, when they become infected due to a variety of factors, damages and problems to your dental and even overall health may be experienced.
The following are the common symptoms:
- Sudden jaw pain
- Tender gums
- Bleeding gums
- Swollen gums
- Difficulty opening the mouth
- Bad breath
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth
See a doctor when you experience the symptoms and follow all the instructions to be provided, as wisdom tooth is a case-to-case basis that needs careful assessment from the dental surgeon and/or dentist.
The impacted wisdom teeth may emerge only partially, making the crown visible on the surface. This case is called partially impacted. There are also cases that they do not break the gum, and are called fully impacted. Whether partial or full, the impacted wisdom teeth may:
- Grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth, or toward the second molar tooth
- Grow straight down or up similar to the other teeth, only that they are trapped within the jawbone
- Grow at a right angle, lying down within the jawbone.
Complications of the impacted wisdom teeth can cause:
- Decay – these teeth have a higher risk of decay as they are harder to clean and reach by the brush’ bristles, making it an ideal place for food waste and bacteria to accumulate.
- Damage to other teeth – if the impacted tooth grows larger and pushes against the adjacent molars, it may damage them or cause some infection to its surrounding area including the adjacent molars.
- Gum disease – when the tooth is not thoroughly cleaned, bacteria grow. When bacteria grow and at the same time wound is created because of the angle the tooth grows, it could lead to a serious infection that results in gum disease
- Cyst – as the tooth develops in a sac, its sac can be filled with fluid that may result in cyst and damage to the part of the mouth. This case happens rarely and may need tissue and bone removal.
When a patient starts to feel discomfort and pain due to the growing tooth, it is advised to go to the doctor and seek professional advice before deciding to have it pulled out and extracted, as complications may happen if the case is not thoroughly assessed by a professional doctor.
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