First things first, it’s important to note is that not everyone has wisdom teeth and of those that do not everyone has all four. That being said, wisdom teeth can be a real problem for anyone who does have them. Most of the problems occur when a wisdom tooth becomes impacted which means that it never pushes through the gum to the full extent. This paves the way for infection to occur which often results in pain.
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In a lot of cases, dentists suggest the removal of wisdom teeth before they start to cause any problems. This is mainly because the procedure can be more difficult once the teeth have started to emerge from the gums. In addition, the wisdom teeth of younger people are also often easier to remove as the roots have not set. Below are some of the problems which can occur from wisdom teeth and what you can expect from wisdom teeth removal.
What problems can wisdom teeth cause?
As we have already stated, the most common problem which occurs with wisdom teeth is that they become impacted. This can happen when they partially erupt from the gum or when they remain fully in the gum, sometimes at an angle or even fully horizontal! Even before you experience any pain from wisdom teeth your dentist can take x-rays and check if your wisdom teeth need to be removed – before they start causing problems. If your wisdom teeth seem as though they are going to cause you problems then the sooner you have them removed the better.
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What happens when you have wisdom teeth removed?
Surgery is required for the removal of wisdom teeth, but often this is only minor surgery. In fact, this type of minor surgery can often be carried out in your dentist’s clinic as in most cases only local anaesthetic and a sedative are required. Sometimes, more complicated cases require a general anaesthetic and are dealt with in a hospital environment. In all cases the gum has to be opened up and the tooth and any debris removed. Sometimes stitches are required to seal the gum back over. Once the surgery is complete you’ll be able to go home and rest for 24 hours. You should make sure you drink plenty of water, but not drinks that are high in sugar, carbonated or alcoholic. You should also refrain from smoking for at least twenty-four hours and preferably for an entire week.
You can see that just because you do not feel as though you are having any problems with your wisdom teeth this is not necessarily the case. Your dentist should be able to check for potential problems before they happen. Certainly, if you do start to get any symptoms, such as inflammation or pain, you should speak to your dentist straight away, so that they can get to work on solving the problem.