Don’t let your wisdom teeth affect your future | Karalee Family Dental
Want to sit your QCS exam? How about some wisdom tooth pain instead?
Feeling a little stressed about that job interview? Why not enjoy a migraine mid-way through?
Here at Karalee Family Dental Clinic we understand that end of semester exams and university life is hard enough without the constant strain of jaw pain, headaches and infections that can appear during your wisdom teeth development.
Are your wisdom teeth giving you trouble? Find out if you have wisdom teeth and how Karalee Dental Clinic can help you get through your next semester without the discomfort brought on by wisdom teeth.
Do you have wisdom teeth?
Between the ages of 17 and 24 you’ll likely start noticing your wisdom teeth. These are known as your 3rdmolars. Generally you will have four of them – two at the ends of your top arch and two and the ends of your bottom arch. Although in many cases not all the teeth will develop or emerge.
Sometimes it can be hard to tell if your wisdom teeth have developed or grown. The best way to find out is to book an appointment with our Karalee team of professionals.
How we find out if you have wisdom teeth
During your appointment our dental staff will assess your smile. This will be where we will discuss with you your oral health and recommend any treatments you may need.
The best way to evaluate whether you have wisdom teeth is by doing an X-ray of your mouth. This should show whether your teeth have:
- Developed – do they exist?
- Erupted – have they surfaced?
- Impacted – are they growing in the right direction?
The development of your wisdom teeth isn’t always going to end in the need for extraction. Where the teeth have erupted relatively comfortably and in the right direction they may not need to be removed and in some cases the teeth may not even develop.
Have your wisdom teeth erupted?
An “erupted” wisdom tooth is a tooth that has broken the surface of your gum. This can come along with headaches and a little pain because the tooth has to form and grow which means your mouth has to accommodate for them.
Where the teeth grow in the right direction and have enough room, this initial pain could the only discomfort you feel. But often times the teeth can become trapped under the gum or only partially emerged and when this occurs, it can create more problems.
Have your wisdom teeth impacted?
An impacted wisdom tooth could be a tooth that has partially emerged from the gums (partially impacted) or where it hasn’t broken the surface at all. There are a handful of different reasons this could happen:
- The teeth are crowded and there is no room for the tooth
- The tooth may be growing on an angle into another tooth or out into the back of the mouth
- The tooth could be lying horizontally rather than vertically
- The tooth has grown in the right direction but is trapped within the jawbone
When this occurs we will inform you during your assessment of the issue and will discuss with you the necessity of wisdom tooth extraction.
What if you have had braces?
In most cases patients who have had braces or other orthodontic work want to have their wisdom teeth removed as early as necessary. This is because wisdom teeth can cause your other teeth to crowd and may cause your nice straight smile to become crooked.
Why you may need your wisdom teeth removed
Impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth can lead to a variety of different problems. Wisdom teeth removal may be necessary if you notice changes in the area of those teeth. Symptoms may be:
- Damage to the nearby teeth
- Crowding of adjacent teeth
- Pain in the gums or jaw
- Decay or infection
- Abscesses
The decision to have wisdom teeth removed is something you need to discuss with your dental professional.
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