People usually get their wisdom teeth at the young adult stage in life. Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars on the upper and lower jaws. If the teeth grow properly, the person does not suffer from wisdom tooth problems.
Wisdom teeth do not always come in, and/or you may just get the top or bottom set. Usually, it is not until you see a doctor for X-rays that you know how many wisdom teeth you have. The main reason behind wisdom tooth problems is the irregular growth of the teeth. When they grow, wisdom teeth may not grow straight but at an odd angle. This crooked growth is one of the wisdom tooth problems that cause the wisdom tooth to press against the second molar or the gums, causing the person great discomfort.
Do You Need Your Teeth Extracted?
Symptoms, such as severe pain, gum infection, and swelling, may indicate the need for extraction. Regular dental check-ups are crucial for early diagnosis and timely intervention to manage wisdom tooth problems effectively.
While potentially painful, extraction is the primary treatment for wisdom tooth issues, typically necessitating local anesthetics for comfort. Dental visits play a vital role in identifying and addressing potential problems early, ensuring timely and effective management of wisdom tooth-related issues.
The irregular growth of wisdom teeth often leads to discomfort as they press against the second molar or gums, requiring extraction. Additionally, a small jaw may cause crowding, leading to impacted teeth or partial eruption, creating spaces for food accumulation and infection.
Wisdom Tooth Problems
Another cause behind wisdom teeth problems is when a person’s jaw is too small to have them grow in. In these cases, the teeth are usually crowded and there is not enough space for the wisdom tooth to grow. The wisdom tooth then gets trapped in the gums and is not able to split through the gums. A tooth that is unable to break through the gums is called an impacted tooth. Sometimes, the wisdom teeth may break through the gum only partially. Here, a small piece of the gum forms a soft flap at the back of the wisdom tooth/teeth, called an operculum. Food getting trapped in the operculum is inevitable, and cleaning the operculum cannot be done with an ordinary toothbrush.
The patient may often not realize they need their teeth extracted because they do not experience any symptoms. However, when they do, the symptoms are usually pain, mostly severe, infection of the gums, and swelling of the gums and cheeks in the region. In almost all types of wisdom teeth problems, the treatment is to extract the tooth or teeth. This can be very painful, so patients are given local anesthetics before undergoing the surgery. Wisdom teeth problems cannot be avoided, but frequent visits to the dentist can result in a sooner diagnosis of possible issues.
