The third molars are the last set of teeth that grow in. They appear when a person becomes an adult. This is why it is commonly called wisdom teeth.
For some people, the teeth come out with good and proper alignment with the rest of the teeth. But for some, there are complications that happen when the wisdom teeth do not grow as expected. This can lead to dental difficulties and associated oral problems. This situation is called impacted wisdom teeth and will require treatment from a dentist.
Many people ignore problems associated with wisdom teeth as they have heard that when wisdom teeth come out they should expect some toothache and jaw pain. That is not always the case. When the wisdom teeth grow out, it is not necessary that there will be pain. Pain and other associated oral issues occur only when the molars do not come out normally. Pain is an indication that you have to get it checked. Therefore, do not ignore it.
Symptoms of wisdom teeth complications
There are signs that one can watch out for before it progresses into severe complications. The wisdom teeth erupts usually when a person is between 17 to 25 years of age. If the wisdom teeth do not come out normally, then the gum near the wisdom teeth will be red and inflamed. This will be accompanied by swelling that is painful to touch. There will be difficulty in brushing and chewing food using that part.
When the infection progresses, there will be pain felt even when jaws are moved or when the mouth is opened. This will also be accompanied by bad breath indicating infection. The lymph nodes in the jaws typically get affected and they will be swollen as well. The next progressive stage of the infection is when pus starts to come out from the infected area and the pain is severe. When the infection progresses, some will also have their general health affected and develop fever and headache during this time.
Types of wisdom teeth complications
Wisdom teeth do not come out smoothly and get trapped in the jaw bone or gums. This is called impaction and there are 4 types of impacted teeth. The types are differentiated based on the positioning of the teeth in the mouth.
Mesial impaction is seen commonly in those who have impacted wisdom teeth. The wisdom teeth in this case are angled towards the front of the mouth. The condition which can be considered as opposite to this is when the wisdom teeth are angled towards the posterior, and is called distal impaction. Impaction also occurs when the wisdom teeth are trapped in the gums, this condition is vertical impaction. But in this case, the teeth are in the correct position if it erupts. A more complicated condition is seen in horizontal impaction. The wisdom teeth are in a horizontal position trapped in the gums and this condition exerts more pressure on the natural teeth and is painful.
Treatment
The impaction and infection in the wisdom teeth can be treated in different ways depending on the severity and the position of the impaction. If the condition is not severe, then just a thorough cleaning of the area will ward off any infection since the teeth are not severely affected. Sometimes the condition is not severe at all and the dentist will suggest improving the oral hygiene practices to help stop the situation from progressing. If it is an infection that is affecting dental and oral health then a dose of antibiotics will be enough to halt the issue.
But if the impaction is severe, then dental surgery will be suggested by the dentist. This decision comes after a thorough dental examination involving X-rays. Using X-rays will help provide information on how the wisdom teeth are impacted, their position and any other dental concerns that need to be taken care of. If the wisdom teeth need to be removed, then local anaesthesia is applied to the area to numb the oral tissues. The dentist will then proceed to extract the impacted teeth.
The dental surgery process also depends on the impaction, if it is horizontal impaction then the process is more complicated. The dentist will give general anaesthesia for the process. The dentist will then proceed to cut open the jaw bone and extract the tooth. But in case the tooth is big, then it is cut into small pieces and then removed. The area is stitched the healing process begins. The healing will take a few weeks and the dentist will provide pain killers and antibiotics to ward off any infection.
Caring and maintaining oral health after surgery
Care for oral health and wisdom teeth will depend on the treatment that is prescribed. If it is better oral hygiene or breaking the infection with antibiotics, then the care regime is simple. This will involve taking better care of oral hygiene and health and completing the medication as per the dentist’s recommendation.
If surgery is performed, then the healing process will take time and during that time more time and care will need to go into taking care of dental health. There will be pain felt as surgery has been done, it is important to take the medicines that are prescribed. This will help speed up the process and make sure there are no further infections. After the healing is complete, regular dental consultations must be planned with the dentist. This will help to foresee any dental issues that might crop up and take timely action. With early detection most dental problems can be solved with small procedures and oral health can be preserved easily.
