It’s April again, folks! You know what that means – It’s Dental Health month! We think we’d start the month with this informative post about impacted wisdom teeth. So if you are wondering about wisdom teeth, what an impacted wisdom tooth actually is or if you need yours extracted, then this post is perfect for you.
Before we talk about impacted wisdom teeth, let’s first have a quick overview on wisdom teeth.
What are They, Really?
Wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that are found at the very back of your mouth. They often appear long after all you get all your other adult teeth. Usually, wisdom teeth would break through your gum line in your last few years as a teenager or while you’re in your early twenties. They may cause discomfort in varying degrees.
Are All Wisdom Teeth Crooked?
You may hear of this from your parents or grandparents, but it’s just a myth. Of course, not all wisdom teeth grow in crooked! In fact, there are countless cases that show wisdom teeth can also grow in really straight. Needless to say, if this is the case, there is absolutely no reason for your wisdom tooth to be removed.
When they do grow in crooked, though, it is possible that they would affect all the other teeth that surround them – damage the adjacent teeth, crowd the other teeth, damage a nerve or even your jaw, and more.
What are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Impacted wisdom teeth are those that are not able to break through the gum line. It is often because there’s another tooth blocking the way of the wisdom tooth and there is no sufficient space for the wisdom tooth to ‘erupt’. As you can probably imagine, impacted wisdom teeth can cause greater discomfort and even pain. Impacted wisdom teeth can damage your gums, jaw, and your other teeth or cause infection.
Should You Have Them Removed?
It actually depends on your particular case and a lot of factors like, whether your wisdom tooth has broken through the gum line or not, whether it’s causing damage to your mouth and more. Only your dentist can tell what you should do about it.
If your wisdom tooth has broken through the gum line, it can be easily extracted. However, if the offending tooth is embedded in your bone, the procedure can be a little more complicated. In any case, the extraction would require the application of a local anaesthetic (or sedation if that is what you prefer).
How Long is the Recovery Period?
It varies from patient to patient. For some, it just takes a couple of days while for others it could take a few weeks. What is important though, is that you follow every direction given by your dentist so as not to aggravate your gum and ruin the stitches.
So, are you concerned about your wisdom tooth? Visit Pickering Square Dental and have it checked by Dr. Lean and his expert Dental Team.
