What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Dentist Office in Indianapolis Discusses Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth develop in each quadrant of your mouth as a set of third molars. They tend to make an appearance between the ages of 17 and 21. If they develop properly, they could be just as useful as the other teeth in the mouth, but that isn’t normally the case.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth that haven’t erupted properly are referred to as impacted. Just because they aren’t erupting properly doesn’t mean they are necessarily impacted, it could just be too early to tell. As time passes, they still have the chance to grow in properly, although this isn’t a common occurrence.
To know for sure if the teeth are impacted, a trip to the dentist is necessary. There, the patient has their mouth examined and a set of X-rays performed. Impacted wisdom teeth lead to several other dental problems, including:
• Infection
• Gum disease
• Cyst formation (fluid-filled sac)
• Tumor from the follicle
• Decay of nearby teeth
Removal of Wisdom Teeth
Because of the risk involved, dentists agree that the best course of action is to remove impacted wisdom teeth as soon as possible. Even if the wisdom teeth have appeared to erupt properly, they might still need to be removed.
Several common reasons that erupted wisdom teeth will still be removed are:
• They are nonfunctional.
• The teeth are interfering with a normal bite.
• They are decayed.
• There is a risk for periodontal disease.
• There is a potential for the nearby teeth to become decayed.
Every case is different and only the dentist knows what treatment option is preferable to your needs. Overall, wisdom tooth extraction is an easy procedure that doesn’t take long to recover from. As with all dental procedures, there are still risks involved, such as:
• Dry socket
• Nerve injury
• Infection
• Pain
• Swelling
• Bleeding
Sit with your dentist to work out a treatment plan that makes sense for both of you. Removing your wisdom teeth is a common practice that enables you to give your mouth the best chance of being healthy in the future. If you have any further questions or concerns, please call our leading dentist office in Indianapolis today.
