Understanding What Goes Wrong With Your Wisdom Teeth

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You may be in pain around your wisdom tooth area, and your dentist may advise on removing your wisdom tooth. The two common causes of wisdom teeth problems include impacted teeth or failure to clean them properly due to their back of the mouth location. Impaction means that your wisdom tooth has not been able to erupt from your gum fully. This may cause gum disease, infection, pain, tooth decay and crowding. To understand the effects of impacted wisdom teeth fully, note the different types.

Wisdom Tooth Growth Direction

In most cases, your jaw may be small, leaving no space for your tooth to erupt and get into a correct position. An impacted wisdom tooth can grow straight upward, but lack room due to obstruction from the crown of the next tooth. It can also grow angled away from your other teeth, which is known as a distoangular position. In other cases, your wisdom tooth may grow parallel to your gum line presenting a horizontal position. Lastly, it can grow angled towards your other teeth, which is known as a mesioangular position. In all these cases, your dentist will require you to get an x-ray to determine the angle your wisdom tooth is growing.

During your regular dentist checks, you should have your dentist check for impacted wisdom teeth early as removing them earlier is more accessible than when they are fully grown and started to show symptoms. These teeth cannot be removed using standard methods. Surgery is usually advised; however, in some cases, surgery may not be an option due to risks of complications. In such cases, the dentist may closely follow up, give some medication or get you some minor surgery to remove some gum tissue.

Health Issues Caused By Impacted Teeth

Acute pericoronitis is a gum infection that occurs when your impacted tooth erupts. Your gum swells and bleeds, and this may be painful. Chronic periodontal is also a gum disease due to failure to clean correctly. Food and bacteria may collect under the gum tissue covering your impacted tooth. Tooth decay can also occur and affect the adjacent molar.

Tumours and cysts can also occur! If your wisdom tooth is embedded in your jaw bone, it can be encased in a sac. This sac may fill with fluid, which forms a cyst. In the case that this cyst expands, it will damage the surrounding bone. A tumour may also form though in rare circumstances. Poor positioning and crowding may also occur and irritate nearby tissue. Your teeth may even get misaligned and affect your bite.

For more information on wisdom teeth and tooth extractions, contact your local dental office today.


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