Being located in Springfield and surrounded by a generally younger population, we have noticed a lot of patients coming in with problems relating to their wisdom teeth. In general there seems to be a slight lack of understanding into what wisdom teeth are and why they need to be removed. As the correct management of wisdom teeth is one of the treatments we ate Brookwater Dental take a special interest in, we have decided to dedicate this blog entirely on that.
As with all dental problems, early diagnosis and management is always the best form of treatment. Wisdom teeth problems can cause intense pain and affect the majority of the population. Therefore if you or someone in your family is yet to have a proper wisdom tooth examination, read ahead as the following information most likely relates to you or one of your loved ones.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the final set of teeth to erupt in the mouth. They erupt behind the normal teeth and you can have up to four of them – top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right. They usually start erupting somewhere between the ages of 16-22. Wisdom teeth are funny teeth. Sometimes they look normal like the other teeth and sometimes they take on a very unusual shape and root structure.
What Problems Can They Cause?
Wisdom teeth problems all stem from the fact that in most cases there is not enough space for them to erupt in the mouth. This leads to wisdom teeth not erupting at all, partially erupting or erupting but in a very awkward position. When this happens, as is the case in the majority of individuals, the wisdom teeth can result in:
1) Pericoronitis – in partially erupted wisdom teeth, food being trapped underneath the covering gum and causing a painful, localised infection.
2) Decay – the teeth being impossible to clean and developing holes in them.
3) Crowding – the force of eruption pushing the other teeth forward and causing them to crowd and rotate.
4) Resorption – the force of an erupting wisdom tooth pushing into the tooth in front and eroding away at it.
5) Cysts – Developing around unerupted wisdom teeth.
6) Holes in other teeth – food trapping around wisdom teeth spreads to the teeth in front.
What all these conditions have in common is if the wisdom tooth is not removed early it will result in severe facial pain, swelling and damage to surrounding teeth.
Do Wisdom Teeth Always Need To Be Removed?
As you can see wisdom teeth can result in quite nasty complications. It is however, not always necessary to remove wisdom teeth. If there is enough space for the wisdom tooth to come through all the way and finish up in a good position they simply become an extra set of teeth. Unfortunately, it is only the minority of people who have enough space for all four wisdom teeth to come through into the correct position. For the rest of us it is important to look at removing the threat of wisdom teeth complications before they become a reality.
When Is The Best Time To Get Them Removed?
We believe that initially it is best to monitor the wisdom teeth and give them a chance to erupt. For a few lucky patients the wisdom teeth will indeed come all the way through into a nice position.
For the majority however, it will soon become obvious there is not enough space for the wisdom teeth. If not removed these teeth are guaranteed to cause serious problems, pain and damage to the surrounding teeth.
Once it has been established that there is insufficient space for the wisdom teeth they should be removed as soon as possible. This limits the damage they can cause before being removed. As well as this the extraction is much more simpler for both patient and dentist when removing a symptom free tooth in a younger patient.
What Are My Options For Taking Them Out?
At Brookwater Dental, Springfield we are pleased to be able to offer the service of wisdom teeth removal at a very competitive price. Many dentists will refer you of to a specialist which results in extra expense, time and inconvenience.
At our surgery we remove the teeth under local anesthetic and ensure before proceeding you are not feeling a anything from the wisdom tooth or the surrounding areas. We are able to remove all four teeth at once or can break up appointments if you prefer.
With years of experience we are well equipped to provide safe, efficient and pain free wisdom tooth removal at your convenience.