Wisdom teeth are molars at the very back of our mouths. They come out somewhere between the ages of 17 and 21 years of age. These teeth have a higher chance of impaction than other teeth in the mouth. Impacted teeth are those that have been unable to break the gum line and protrude up from the gums. Usually, the cause of an impacted tooth is that there is too little room in the mouth for the teeth to erupt. Consequently, it may be necessary for wisdom teeth removal.
Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Teeth
There are a few signs to watch for that can indicated impacted wisdom teeth. The main ones to look out for are:
- Swelling of the gums at the back of the mouth
- Difficulty opening the jaw entirely
- Either a persistent bad breath or a constant bad taste in your mouth.
- Pain when opening and closing the mouth or chewing.
It is possible that any pain could come and go. It may appear for a few days, then disappear up to a few months before returning. As much as we’d like to believe the absence of pain is a good thing, it may not be in these cases.
Diagnosing Impacted Wisdom Teeth in Houston
Your local Houston dentist will be able to diagnose whether you need to remove wisdom teeth or not. A thorough examination is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
If your dentist suspects that an impacted tooth, she may order x-rays of the teeth. These x-rays will show the impacted teeth below the gums.
There really aren’t any ways to prevent impacted teeth, including wisdom teeth especially. Since the issue comes from having too little room, there is no way during the normal course of life to prevent it from happening.
As such, wisdom teeth removal is a common occurrence in Houston.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Treatment
You can alleviate minor irritation from an impacted tooth by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. Some over the counter pain relievers may also help as well.
If the tooth continues to cause pain, or it becomes infected or irritates nearby teeth, a removal of the wisdom teeth may be necessary.
The process is pretty simple, consisting of numbing the area with a local anesthetic, using a general anesthetic to calm the patient, and removing the tooth.
It is worth noting that single tooth can take anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes to remove. This is due to its location within the mouth and severity of impacting.
Once removed, any pain experienced from the impacted tooth should be gone immediately. If there was an infection, your Houston dentist may prescribe antibiotics to fight it.
