The human mouth normally does not have enough space for 32 teeth, including four wisdom teeth, so if a wisdom tooth erupts, it may cause crowding, infection, ear pain, and swelling. Generally, people have four wisdom teeth. A person can have between none and four; in rare cases, people may have more than four. But what to do with a hidden wisdom tooth and what are its symptoms? A question that may have troubled your mind.
Having a small jaw or mouth with too many teeth doesn’t allow wisdom teeth to erupt – they don’t fully erupt in the mouth. This can also lead to congestion, infection, ear pain, and swelling.
Wisdom teeth can also grow in an unusual direction, sideways, at an unusual angle, or only partially. Wisdom teeth that grow in different positions can cause pain and damage to the adjacent teeth. Even if there is no visible damage, the angle and position of wisdom teeth can make them susceptible to disease and the accumulation of bacteria that can lead to infection and decay.
In most cases, people do not need to have their wisdom teeth removed as long as they maintain good oral hygiene. However, if the person or the dentist notices changes in the mouth, they may need to be removed.
Symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth
An impacted wisdom tooth can cause a wide range of problems. These symptoms include:
- Gum or jaw pain
- Red and swollen gums
- Pressure
- pain and discomfort
- infection
- Cysts
- Damage to adjacent teeth
- Tooth Decay
- gum disease
In addition, impacted wisdom teeth can put pressure on other teeth and cause crowding. A person may need orthodontic treatments to straighten crooked teeth.
The tooth may develop into a sac in the jawbone that fills with fluid and forms a cyst. Cysts can damage the jawbone and adjacent teeth and nerves.
Rarely, a non-cancerous tumor may form, meaning surgery to remove the tissue and bone may be necessary.
The second molar, next to the wisdom tooth, is more prone to infection if something presses on it. Because of its location, it can be more vulnerable to infections, which can lead to:
- Bad Breath
- Earache
- Headache
- Strange taste in the mouth
- toothache
- Swollen gums, which may be redder than usual
- swollen jaw
- bleeding gums
More serious infections include cellulitis of the cheek, tongue, or throat. Another infection is gingivitis, a gum disease that occurs when plaque releases toxins that irritate the gums.
Treatment and relief of wisdom tooth symptoms
The following treatments can help relieve symptoms.
The use of painkillers can help reduce the pain, but the person should swallow them and not put them on the painful tooth.
A mouthwash with warm water and a teaspoon of salt several times a day can reduce pain and inflammation.
An antibacterial mouthwash, such as chlorhexidine, can help reduce infection.
If the pain persists, the person should seek medical attention.
The dentist may clean the teeth and prescribe antibiotics, but if the problem recurs, the teeth may need to be removed.
Removal of wisdom teeth
If the wisdom tooth causes pain and discomfort to the person, or if it damages or may damage the adjacent teeth or jawbone, dentists recommend wisdom tooth extraction.
In the case of asymptomatic impacted wisdom teeth, doctors cannot accurately predict which wisdom tooth is causing the problem. However, the angle at which the tooth erupts and how it presses against other teeth can provide clues.
Do all wisdom teeth need to be extracted?
Dentists in Windsor often leave wisdom teeth if they are healthy, fully erupted, in the right positions, and the person can clean them easily. And they recommend that a person does not care about it and does not kill it.
However, many dentists and oral surgeons recommend removing impacted wisdom teeth as a preventative measure against infections, such as gum disease and tooth decay.
The dentist should also remove wisdom teeth when they prevent the proper growth of other teeth.
Before, people removed their wisdom teeth, whether it caused problems or not. There is still a debate about whether to remove teeth that do not cause symptoms or leave them alone.
Stages of wisdom tooth surgery
If necessary, the oral surgeon removes the wisdom tooth through surgery. The dentist takes X-rays of the entire mouth to see how the roots are positioned and how the tooth grows.
Extraction may take place in a dentist’s surgery or on an outpatient basis in a clinic. How simple this procedure is depends on the position of the tooth or teeth that need to be removed.
Before the procedure, a healthcare professional will first assess the person for allergies, existing medical conditions, and intolerances. They also disinfect the operation site and the mouth.
Some may also require the patient to take antibiotics before and after surgery to reduce the risk of infection.
The dentist injects a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and the area around it. Then they make an incision in the gum to expose the tooth and bone. After this, a dental drill is used to divide the tooth into sections for easier removal.
To ensure there is no bleeding problem, it is important to rest and avoid alcohol and smoking for at least 24 hours.
Reasons for impacted wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth are usually buried in the mouth due to lack of space or get stuck in the jawbone or gums.
Another common reason is teeth coming out at a different angle. A 2018 study suggests that genetics may play a role in the position of upper wisdom teeth.
The impacted wisdom tooth can grow differently depending on how the teeth grow:
- Mesioangular impaction: This means that the wisdom tooth grows at an angle towards the front of the mouth.
- Vertical impaction: This refers to when the wisdom tooth does not cross the gum line.
- Distangular impaction: This means that the wisdom tooth grows at an angle towards the back of the mouth.
- Horizontal impaction: This means that the wisdom tooth grows at a 90-degree angle and goes to the root of the lateral molar.
Complications of wisdom tooth surgery
Mild problems such as swelling, bleeding, bruising, and pain are common after wisdom teeth extraction but are usually not serious.
However, complications may occur, including:
dry cavity
A dry socket is when a blood clot does not form properly in the socket after the removal of a wisdom tooth. It can also occur if the clot dislodges before the wound heals.
It occurs in 38% of people who have wisdom tooth surgery and can lead to throbbing pain. This is usually caused by patients not following the dentist’s instructions, smoking, washing the area too soon after surgery, sucking it, or touching it with the tongue.
nerve damage
Nerves may be damaged during the removal procedure. Depending on the affected nerve, nerve damage can lead to numbness or paralysis in the lip, tongue, or cheek. This is often temporary but can be permanent if the damage is severe.
Damage to adjacent teeth
1 in 100 people may experience permanent damage, including damage to nearby teeth. However, this largely depends on the extent of the surgery.
failure, fracture
Sometimes, the removal of a wisdom tooth can cause a fracture in the upper jaw, which is just behind the upper wisdom tooth.
A mandibular fracture, or mandibular fracture, can occur during surgery or within 4 weeks after surgery.
