Impacted Wisdom Teeth — An Overview

Dentist Blog

Many people's wisdom teeth never actually erupt and remain quiet and unnoticed beneath the gum-line. However, if your wisdom teeth become impacted, you will certainly know about it as the pain can be extreme. So, how can you recognise impacted wisdom teeth and what can be done about it?

What are 'impacted wisdom teeth'?

Impacted teeth are those that become blocked when they try to come through your gum into your mouth. Wisdom teeth can become impacted when your mouth is overcrowded with your other teeth or if they try to come through tilted or sideways.

Signs of impacted wisdom teeth

1. Impacted wisdom teeth cause tremendous pain that increases as the condition progresses and gets worse. You will feel pain in the back of your mouth, radiating from your wisdom teeth through your other molars. 
2. If you have impacted wisdom teeth, you will also notice that your gums become swollen and tender. When you floss your teeth, you may notice that your gums bleed, and brushing your teeth can become painful. 
3. You may also notice a subtle swelling around your jawline that will become more noticeable as the condition gets worse. This can become so pronounced that you may find it difficult to open your mouth. 
4. In addition to the symptoms that you notice in your mouth, you may also find that the glands in your neck and shoulders become swollen. 
5. When wisdom teeth become impacted, you may experience pain in your temporomandibular joint where the jaw and skull are connected. This can cause headaches that may radiate to affect other areas of your face and head.

Problems caused by impacted wisdom teeth

In addition to the painful symptoms described above, impacted wisdom teeth can cause other issues with your oral health.

1. The teeth adjacent to your wisdom teeth can become misaligned and crooked. 
2. Impacted wisdom teeth are vulnerable to decay and infection, leading to serious gum disease. 
3. Your wisdom teeth grow inside a sac within your jaw. The sacs become filled with fluid when the wisdom teeth are impacted. This can cause nerve damage and pain.

If you find that you are suffering from any of the aforementioned symptoms, you may have impacted wisdom teeth. Don't just take a few pain killers and hope that the pain will go away on its own; consult your dentist as a matter of urgency so that you can receive the necessary remedial treatment.

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13 December 2016