Dental News

What are wisdom teeth?

May 31, 2019

What are wisdom teeth?

As the old saying goes, with age comes wisdom. As you age, your mouth undergoes different stages of change with one last milestone when your wisdom teeth emerge. Wisdom teeth are the third and final molar teeth that appear when people are in their late teens or early twenties. When these last sets of molar teeth are correctly aligned, they can be beneficial. However, not everyone will need their wisdom teeth.

Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to dental problems

When the wisdom teeth develop and emerges improperly, they can cause significant dental problems. The wisdom teeth can erupt sideways or partially erupts and become impacted. An impacted wisdom tooth is referred to as a tooth trapped in your jaws or under the gums. An impacted wisdom tooth or partially erupted wisdom teeth can trap bacteria around the tooth causing an infection. A tooth infection can lead to swelling of the gum line and pain. If left untreated, the infection can cause gum disease and crowding. Your dentist will make recommend the removal of wisdom teeth if it causes pain, discomfort, and tooth decay.

Removal of wisdom teeth

If your dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, the dentist will perform oral surgery to extract the impacted wisdom tooth. Depending on how the wisdom tooth emerges, the tooth extraction can be a simple process. However, if the tooth emerges sideways, the surgical procedure may be more involved. During the wisdom tooth extraction, the dentist will administer anesthetize to reduce pain then an incision is made on the gum to expose the tooth and bone. The tooth is removed, and the area is cleaned and wounds stitched. After the surgery, swelling and pain can cause discomfort. To promote healing, over the counter or prescription medication can be used to manage pain. The stitches in your mouth will dissolve, or if the stitches require removal, your dentist will remove the stitches at your follow up visit.

Regular appointments with your dentist will identify issues with your wisdom teeth before they become a significant problem. Be sure to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 for your appointment.

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