Your wisdom teeth typically emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. If they surface correctly, they can give you more support for chewing. But, if they have trouble emerging because they’re impacted — which usually means there’s not enough room for them to come out — you can experience considerable pain and possibly damage to your other teeth.
In this blog, the dental experts at Trident Dental in Houston explain the symptoms associated with impacted wisdom teeth and the treatment options.
Symptoms
If you have impacted wisdom teeth, you might experience the following symptoms:
- Swollen gums
- Swelling around your jaw
- Tender gums
- Pain in your jaw
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Bad breath
- Red or bleeding gums
- Difficulty opening your mouth
If you have any of these symptoms, we can give your mouth a thorough examination and determine if the source of your symptoms is impacted wisdom teeth.
Risks if left untreated
If you have impacted wisdom teeth and don’t get them removed, you might experience damage to your other teeth. If the wisdom teeth force their way in, they might crowd your other teeth and cause them to shift. You could even develop an infection. You could also grow cysts in the area if fluid gets in the sacs that encase your wisdom teeth.
Even if you don’t have impacted wisdom teeth, it may be a good idea to take them out anyway. The reason is, wisdom teeth sit far back in the mouth, which means they could be very difficult to clean properly. If they aren’t cleaned well, this could lead to decay and cavities. If you’re unsure, the experts at Trident Dental can let you know if taking out your wisdom teeth would be a good option.
Treating impacted wisdom teeth
In general, impacted wisdom teeth need to be removed. Before your surgery, we’ll discuss the entire process and answer any questions you have.
Before we perform your procedure, we’ll give you general anesthesia to put you to sleep. Then, we’ll make an incision in your gums and remove bone that might be blocking us from getting to the root of your tooth. Once we remove the impacted tooth, we’ll close the wound with stitches and pack the empty socket with soft gauze.
After your procedure, you might have some pain, swelling, and bleeding, which is normal. We’ll send you home with instructions on how to care for your wounds. And, if needed, we’ll also prescribe any necessary medications.
Rest assured that our team has the expertise and experience to take care of you. Whether you have impacted wisdom teeth or any other dental issue, we can help you. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Trident Dental today.