Every year, about five million people get their wisdom teeth removed for different reasons. Even though this procedure is common, many people are unsure when they need to take out their wisdom teeth and when they can keep them.
Sometimes, this confusion leads to people keeping their wisdom teeth longer than necessary, which can cause extra pain or other dental problems that need fixing. You should have your wisdom teeth removed as soon as any issues pop up to prevent complications. The best way to stay on top of this is to keep in touch with your dentist through regular check-ups.
You should also watch for these common signs that indicate you might need to remove your wisdom teeth:
Intense Pain
Wisdom tooth pain falls into two categories:
- Pain that signals a problem
- Pain from the erupting teeth
Wisdom teeth are an extra set of adult molars that usually start coming in between the ages of 17 and 21. However, since they come in later when most adult teeth are present, they can sometimes cause pain. Like all teeth, wisdom teeth push through the gums, leading to aches and soreness. This discomfort usually disappears once the tooth erupts, but you can ease the pain with topical medications.
However, many people experience issues with their wisdom teeth not coming in properly. They might emerge at an awkward angle, get stuck against the molars, or remain trapped beneath the gums. Dentists refer to this as impacted wisdom teeth.
Impacted wisdom teeth are common and happen when the teeth either don’t fully erupt or stay stuck in the jawbone or surrounding tissue. A partially erupted wisdom tooth can allow bacteria to enter the area, which can cause infections. That can eventually result in jaw stiffness, painful swelling, and sometimes general sickness. A partially erupted tooth is more likely to develop gum disease and decay.
The pain from impacted wisdom teeth usually feels like a recurring ache. It can be annoying and uncomfortable, and often the best long-term fix is removing the impacted teeth. While extractions are considered oral surgery, they are routine procedures that typically only require a day or two for recovery.
Another reason you might experience wisdom tooth pain is an abscess. That often occurs when debris or bacteria get trapped in the spaces created by a partially erupted wisdom tooth. This trapped debris can lead to an infection, causing pain and swelling around the tooth. In these cases, removing the wisdom tooth as soon as possible is important.
Teeth Crowding
Wisdom teeth can be larger than other teeth, and many mouths lack space. If left to grow too long, they can push your existing teeth out of place. This crowding is especially noticeable in teens who struggle to achieve a straight smile even with braces. The wisdom teeth occupy too much room, forcing the other teeth to shift. The good news is that once you remove the wisdom teeth, everything else should fall into place, giving your other teeth the space they need to straighten out.
Swollen Gums
When wisdom teeth come in, they can make your gums swollen and uncomfortable. For example, when a baby is teething, you might feel tightness, heat, and irritation in your gums. The problem is that wisdom teeth often don’t grow in the right direction, so they don’t break through the gums properly. That leads to ongoing pain and discomfort. That’s why getting oral surgery to remove the teeth is important; it helps relieve the pressure on your gums.
Issues With Moving the Jaw
Opening and closing your jaw properly is essential for your overall health. If your jaw isn’t moving properly, it can affect your ability to chew and digest food properly. In severe cases, wisdom teeth can make it hard to close your jaw comfortably. Sometimes, people confuse this with TMJ problems, but simply removing the wisdom teeth can often fix the issue more easily in the long run.
Bad Breath
Wisdom teeth get their name because they usually show up last and at a later age. Sometimes, wisdom teeth, or third molars, don’t fully break through the gums. When this happens, they are called impacted wisdom teeth. Misaligned or impacted wisdom teeth are tricky to clean and can easily trap food particles and bacteria. Since bacteria love warm and damp places, impacted wisdom teeth can lead to infections, cysts, and decay.
Naturally, this can cause bad breath and an unpleasant taste in your mouth. If your wisdom tooth is stuck and causing bacteria to grow, the small gap between the tooth and the gum might be where the bad breath comes from. The sensitive gums around the impacted tooth can become infected quickly, and the bacteria can produce smelly sulphur compounds. You can’t expect an infection to heal by itself without treatment.
Some signs of infection around your wisdom tooth or gums include a terrible taste in your mouth, pain, tenderness, swelling, inflammation, bleeding, and lingering bad breath. Since impacted teeth can lead to various issues, they often need removal. You can have one tooth taken out at a time or extract multiple teeth in one visit.
Recurring Cavities
Wisdom teeth, especially those partially out and at awkward angles or causing crowding, can make it hard to brush your teeth properly. That can lead to plaque build-up and cavities. If you keep getting cavities and it’s unusual for you, you should chat with your dentist about what might be causing them. Taking out your wisdom teeth could help reduce the spots where bacteria can hide in your mouth, making it harder for cavities to form.
Increased Sinus Pressure
We often overlook how our sinuses and tooth roots are connected, even though they’re beside each other. Overgrown wisdom teeth can add pressure to our sinuses, making our heads feel heavy and uncomfortable. You might realize the sinus pain is linked to your wisdom teeth if regular treatments don’t help and the pain seems to come from your jaw. Fortunately, this side effect isn’t very common, but if it does happen, it’s best to address it quickly so you can return to normal activities and prevent further discomfort.
You Have Cysts
If a permanent tooth comes in with a clear fluid-filled sac around it, you might have a dentigerous cyst. You may not notice it until your dentist spots it during a routine checkup.
A dentigerous cyst is a smooth, round sac of clear fluid that develops slowly in the gums where an adult tooth emerges. These cysts are the most common type affecting the jaw, mostly appearing on the lower jaw (mandible) around wisdom teeth, but they can also form around other teeth. They usually don’t cause pain and are generally harmless, but they can lead to problems if they keep growing.
How Do Dentists Find Dentigerous Cysts?
Dentigerous cysts grow slowly and are usually located at the back of your mouth, so you might not even realize you have one until your dentist points it out during a routine check-up. They can spot it during a dental exam. If your dentist is looking at your wisdom teeth, they might use an X-ray and find the cyst, or an orthodontist might notice it while assessing you for braces or clear aligners.
These cysts can grow large enough for you to feel them, but that’s uncommon. If you do have a bigger cyst, it might affect the teeth next to it, causing problems with their roots and possibly shifting them out of place.
Your general dentist might remove the cyst if they have the right surgical training, but you’ll probably be sent to an oral surgeon. Oral surgeons often deal with various cysts when taking out wisdom teeth.
First, they’ll give you a local anesthetic. Then, your oral surgeon will likely remove the tooth and the cyst. If the cyst is small, your dentist might drain or remove it. For larger or more serious cysts, your surgeon might need to do a bone graft if there’s been bone loss.
Healing can take anywhere from a week to a few months, depending on how big and severe the cyst is. Usually, it only takes one procedure, but you may need to return for follow-up visits so the surgeon can check your healing.
Other Signs That Indicate You Have a Problem
Most patients don’t experience side effects from dental surgery to remove wisdom teeth. It’s smart to remove them even if you’re not having issues. That is especially important if you think you might be unable to have the surgery later.
Many women choose to have their wisdom teeth taken out before starting a family since they can’t have surgery while pregnant. Others do it because they’ll be traveling for a while.
In the long run, it’s better to be proactive and take preventive steps than to wait until a problem arises.
What to Expect When You Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed
Getting your wisdom teeth removed is a routine outpatient surgery.
Before Your Extraction
Your oral surgeon will check your mouth before the procedure. This check-up will include X-rays to examine your teeth, gums, and jawbone.
This evaluation helps the surgeon decide the best approach for your surgery and what treatment options work for you. Your dentist or oral surgeon will choose either:
- Local anesthesia
- Sedation anesthesia
- General anesthesia
The type of anesthesia you receive will depend on how difficult the wisdom tooth removal is expected to be and how comfortable you feel.
During the procedure, your dentist or oral surgeon will:
- Make cuts in your gums if needed to access teeth that are stuck in your gums or jawbone
- Carefully loosen your wisdom tooth and take it out of its socket. They might split your tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove
- Clean the area to prevent infection
- Stitch up the surgical site if necessary
- Put gauze over the sockets to help with bleeding
After the procedure, if you had sedation or general anesthesia, you’ll go to a recovery room. You’ll probably recover in the dental chair if you have local anesthesia.
The process usually takes just a few minutes and shouldn’t take more than 40 minutes.
You might have some swelling and bleeding for a few days, but full recovery might take one to two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQS on wisdom teeth removal:
Are There Other Options Instead of Removing a Wisdom Tooth?
You can use simple pain relievers like paracetamol for mild pain from wisdom teeth. Antibiotics and rinsing with warm, salty water or mouthwash can help if the area around the tooth gets infected.
In some cases, they might be able to remove the gum over the tooth if the wisdom tooth has partially come in. If the root is close to the nerve that feels your lower lip, they might remove the tooth's crown.
What If I Do Not Have the Wisdom Tooth Removal Procedure?
If you choose not to have the surgery or if it gets postponed, your symptoms might worsen or come back. There’s also a chance of developing a serious infection that could be life-threatening. If you need to remove your wisdom tooth before getting corrective surgery or other orthodontic treatments, those procedures might not be possible. As you know, impacted wisdom teeth don’t cause crowding in your front teeth. If you start feeling more pain, reach out to your dentist.
What Complications Can Arise?
You might experience pain, bleeding, swelling, and bruising. There’s also a risk of infection, an allergic reaction to equipment, materials, or medications, or a dry socket where the area doesn’t heal properly. Sometimes, parts of the tooth may remain in the jaw, or you might damage nearby teeth. Other complications could include sinus issues, a broken jaw, difficulties fully opening your mouth, nerve damage, or a rare condition called osteonecrosis, where jawbone tissue starts to die.
How Soon Will I Feel Better?
You might need to take up to a week off from work, but you should be able to return to normal activities within that time. Most people recover completely.
Find a Professional Dentist Near Me
Dealing with tooth pain or discomfort can be really tough. It can mess with your daily routine and make it hard to enjoy life. Removing your wisdom teeth can help ease that pain if that’s what’s causing it.
It’s important to have skilled and caring oral surgeons do the procedure, especially those with years of experience removing wisdom teeth like yours. At Valencia Advanced Dentistry at Copperhill Smiles, we are ready to tackle any case, and we’re confident you’ll be happy with the results. Call us at 661-775-7717 if you are in the Santa Clarita area.
