When it comes to oral health, wisdom teeth are a common topic of concern. These molars often cause more trouble than they’re worth. But how do you know if you are dealing with impacted wisdom teeth, and that they may need to be removed to boost your oral health?
At Hendersonville Family Dental, our team understands how frustrating it can be to deal with painful wisdom teeth. However, there is a distinct difference between the pain of erupting wisdom teeth and teeth that are causing significant oral health problems. If you suspect you may have impacted wisdom teeth, keep reading to see what signs you may be missing.
What is an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
An impacted wisdom tooth is a wisdom tooth that doesn’t have enough room to fully emerge or develop normally. This can happen when the tooth grows at an angle, gets stuck against another tooth, or remains trapped within the jawbone. As a result, the tooth may be partially erupted or completely hidden beneath the gums.
Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to a range of dental issues if left untreated. These include pain, infection, damage to neighboring teeth, and even cysts or tumors in rare cases. There are several different types of impacted wisdom teeth, including:
- Mesial Impaction: The wisdom tooth is angled toward the front of the mouth.
- Distal Impaction: The wisdom tooth is angled toward the back of the mouth.
- Vertical Impaction: The wisdom tooth is in the right position, but doesn’t erupt.
- Horizontal Impaction: The wisdom tooth is positioned horizontally and cannot erupt.
Signs You Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may be dealing with impacted wisdom teeth:
1. Jaw Pain
One of the most common signs that you have an impacted wisdom tooth is pain at the back of your mouth, near your molars. This pain may be persistent or it might come and go. It can also radiate to other areas, including your jaw, ear, or neck.
2. Achy, Bleeding Gums
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause your gums to become tender or bleed easily. You might notice this when brushing your teeth or eating certain foods. This is often a sign of infection or inflammation and should be addressed by a reliable dental team as soon as possible.
3. Swelling in Your Face or Jaw
Swelling or redness in the gums around the affected area is another indicator that you are dealing with impacted wisdom teeth. The swelling might cause your face to look puffy or make it difficult to open your mouth fully.
4. Pain When Opening Your Mouth
You might find it hard to open your mouth wide or chew your food comfortably if you have an impacted wisdom tooth. The discomfort may be caused by the pressure the tooth is putting on your jaw or surrounding teeth.
5. Changes to the Smell of Your Breath
If an impacted tooth becomes infected, it can cause bad breath or an unpleasant taste in your mouth. This is due to bacteria accumulating around the partially erupted tooth. If you’re dealing with this problem, it is best to schedule an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible to plan the removal.
6. Chronic Headaches or Earaches
The pressure and pain from an impacted wisdom tooth can also lead to chronic headaches or earaches. This happens because the pain radiates through the nerves connected to your jaw and face. Dealing with this constant pain can be frustrating, making removal essential.
Should You Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Whether or not to remove your wisdom teeth is a decision best made with the guidance of your trusted dentist or oral surgeon. Here are some factors to consider:
- Symptomatic Wisdom Teeth: If your wisdom teeth are causing pain, infection, or other dental issues, removal is often recommended.
- Asymptomatic but Impacted: Even if your impacted wisdom teeth aren’t causing symptoms, they could still lead to problems down the road, such as decay or gum disease. Your dentist may suggest removing them as a preventive measure.
- Fully Erupted Wisdom Teeth: If your wisdom teeth have fully erupted and are in a healthy position, they may not need to be removed. Regular monitoring by your dentist is still important to ensure they remain healthy.
In general, younger patients tend to have an easier time with wisdom tooth extraction and recovery. As you age, the roots of the teeth grow longer, making the extraction more complicated and increasing the risk of complications.
Expert Wisdom Tooth Removal in Hendersonville, NC
Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms, from pain and swelling to difficulty chewing and bad breath. If you suspect that you have an impacted wisdom tooth, it’s important to contact your dentist as soon as possible. They can evaluate your situation and help you decide whether removal is the best option for maintaining your oral health.
If you’re looking for a reliable dental team in the Hendersonville, NC, area, turn to our team at Hendersonville Family Dental. With years of experience helping patients through a variety of patients through their dental ailments, we’re confident that we can do the same for you. Don’t let the pain of impacted wisdom teeth plague you; contact our team and look forward to a brighter, pain-free future.