Why Wisdom Teeth Are So Troublesome

Having Wisdom Teeth Issues?

Wisdom tooth/teeth (3rd Molars or 8s as they are known in dental terminology) grow at the back of your gums in the back of your mouth, they are the last teeth to come through between the ages of 17-25 and for most of us we will have four wisdom teeth – one in each quadrant.

As wisdom teeth normally grow through by the time your other adult teeth are in place there is not always enough room or space for the wisdom teeth to grow properly therefore the wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or only partially emerge and you may have heard your dentist use the term Impacted Wisdom Teeth which means they have grown through in this way.  On some occasions you may find that your Wisdom Teeth do not erupt through at all.

Your wisdom teeth can be quite difficult to get to at the back of your mouth and sometimes cleaning them can be quite tricky.  It is very important that you keep your wisdom teeth as clean as possible and visit your hygienist and dentist for regular checkups, because of their irregular emerging shape food and bacterial can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom tooth causing a build up of plaque which may lead to the follow:

• Your Wisdom Tooth/Teeth can become very painful and you may have an abscess on your wisdom tooth
• You could develop tooth decay which can lead to dental caries.
• You could develop gum disease which can lead to gingivitis or periodontal (gum) disease.
• You could develop a condition call Pericoronitis which is when plaque causes an infection of the soft tissue that surrounds the wisdom tooth/teeth.

Wisdom teeth do not always need to be removed and most of the above can be treated with a course of antibiotics however removal of your wisdom teeth are usually recommended when other treatments have not or do not work.  It can ensure that you do not have any recurrent toothache or any further problems, giving you peace of mind.

If you are have a troublesome wisdom tooth/teeth we would always recommend in the first instance you seek advice from your dentist who will take the necessary x-rays and recommend you to an oral surgeon like Dr. Falender however if you would like any further advise on Wisdom Tooth/Teeth and their removal or if you would like to arrange a consultation and treatment, please do not hesitate to contact our expert oral surgeons here at the Indianapolis Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Centre on (317) 900-4535.