Impacted Wisdom Teeth

An impacted wisdom tooth means that it is stuck between your teeth or under your gums. They either do not have enough room to develop or grow in the wrong direction. Here is a complete guideline for all the queries related to impacted wisdom teeth.

The abnormal location of the tooth makes it susceptible to infections and plaque accumulation. If you do not remove the impacted wisdom tooth, it can cause abscess formation and may lead to severe painful conditions. Sometimes they may grow parallel to the jawline, which can be a severe complication in the future. They cause interruptions in the opening and closing of the jawline and may interfere and cause resorption in healthy teeth.

Prevention

When you find about the irregular growth of your wisdom tooth, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible. There are only a few cases where there is no need for surgical extraction of the tooth. In that case, get regular X-rays to find out the location of the tooth. If it does not grow further and does not cause any severe pain or infection, you may go for oral medications.

For mild pains, dentists recommend painkillers and proper scaling and cleaning to prevent any infection in the future. If it has just started emerging but is stuck due to gums or has no room to grow out, your dentist may remove a tiny part of the gums to provide proper space for it to grow.

Treatment

The only permanent treatment available for an impacted wisdom tooth is the surgical removal of the tooth. The first step towards surgical removal is getting local or general anesthesia to avoid severe pain. Your dentist will discuss with you the anesthetic options, and you can choose the one suitable for you.

Local anesthesia will numb only that specific while general anesthesia will cause complete unconsciousness. After giving anesthesia, the surgical process will begin. The first incision will be made on your gums to expose the impacted tooth. Then the bone causing the wrong growth of the tooth will be removed, followed by the removal of the wisdom tooth. The incision will be closed by stitches and gauze. The whole process will take about half an hour to one hour, depending on the extent of growth and gums covering the teeth.

How long does it take to recover?

It usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks to recover completely. You may not be able to open your mouth normally. There are no such severe complications, but sometimes it will cause pain and swelling, which is normal. You can get painkillers on your dentist's recommendation. You will need to consume soft and liquid foods until it heals completely.

Resource:

Extracting Wisdom Teeth Prevents Future Problems

*Neither this nor any other content in this media is meant to prescribe, recommend, or prevent any treatment or procedure. It is highly recommended that you get the advice of a qualified dentist or other medical practitioners regarding your specific dental condition.