Edmonton Emergency Dentists
Wisdom Tooth Removal
For some people, wisdom teeth come in without any issues. But for others, they cause a significant amount of pain and can often cause problems for the surrounding teeth.
Wisdom teeth are the third molars in your mouth. They can be removed without impacting your ability to chew food or speak. These teeth generally begin growing in when a patient is anywhere between 17-25.
Are your partially erupted wisdom teeth or impacted wisdom teeth causing pain? Wisdom tooth removal at a younger age reduces the risk of complications. Our emergency dentists can help. At Edmonton Emergency Dentists, our dental clinic is on call 24/7. We’ll find you a nearby dentist or who can alleviate your pain and perform a tooth extraction if necessary.
Should You Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?
The first signs that your wisdom teeth are coming in include gum pain, swelling, and a visible eruption in the back of your mouth.
Your dentist can use dental x-rays to see how your wisdom teeth will develop. If they notice any impacted wisdom teeth, they might recommend that you have them extracted.
Even if your wisdom teeth aren’t causing pain, they may create crowding in your mouth and push other teeth out of alignment. Some patients choose to have a wisdom teeth removal performed so that their smile stays straight.
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause severe pain. If your impacted wisdom teeth are interfering with your ability to enjoy your life, call for dental services.
Issues Caused By Wisdom Teeth
Even if the discomfort caused by your impacted wisdom teeth seems manageable, wisdom teeth can negatively affect the rest of your mouth. Wisdom teeth removal must be performed on problematic teeth—otherwise, they can lead to further dental issues, such as:
Pain
If the wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to grow in, or they do so at a bad angle, it can cause pain. The discomfort begins as the teeth start to grow in and continues even when they’re developed causing impacted wisdom teeth.
With impacted wisdom teeth, the pain can be particularly severe. The teeth are trapped below the gums due to a lack of room. If your bite is crooked or uneven, you may end up biting your cheek or tongue when you eat.
Misalignment of your adjacent teeth
If your wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to grow in normally, they’ll end up pressing against your other molars. This can cause your other teeth to become crooked.
It’s difficult to clean teeth that are packed tightly together. Due to crowding, you may develop other oral health issues.
Damage to the jaw, teeth, and gums
Wisdom tooth pain often stems from the other issues that these molars cause in your mouth. An impacted wisdom tooth can damage the roots and nerves of adjacent molars. If the wisdom tooth doesn’t rise above the gums, it can cause damage to your jawbone.
Infections
Partially erupted wisdom teeth leave your mouth especially prone to infection. They leave a gum flap that food and bacteria can thrive in. A wisdom tooth that doesn’t erupt properly will make you vulnerable to infections.
How Are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
With a typical tooth extraction, the dentist uses forceps to grab the base of the tooth and remove it. But some wisdom teeth don’t break the gum line and cannot be removed in this way. In these situations, you may require a referral to an oral surgeon, who will perform the emergency wisdom tooth removal via surgical extraction. The oral surgeon makes an incision in the gums and use that access to remove the tooth.
Healing from wisdom teeth extractions
What does the recovery period from oral surgery look like? Your recovery time will depend partially on how many teeth you have removed.
The healing process typically takes between 1-2 weeks to heal. This time depends on whether you had a simple or surgical extraction. Make your recovery process easier with these tips:
- Don’t smoke at all, or drink through a straw. Doing so may create a painful dry socket.
- Avoid chewing by eating soft foods.
- When you’re brushing your teeth, avoid the back areas of your mouth. You can use antibacterial mouthwash instead.
Book Your Appointment Today
There are fewer complications with wisdom teeth extractions when they’re done at an earlier age. We always recommend that patients seek an emergency dentist in Edmonton ASAP if they have concerns about their wisdom teeth.
Don’t let tooth pain ruin your day. At Edmonton Emergency Dental, we offer emergency wisdom tooth removal in Edmonton. We also provide pain management solutions to reduce your discomfort. Visit our website for more info.