When wisdom teeth become impacted, they are fully or partially trapped beneath the gums. This can create space for bacteria and germs to hide, causing infections and other problems. At Trinity River Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center, our oral surgeon can evaluate and remove wisdom teeth to preserve your oral health and the structure of your mouth.
Wisdom teeth are more likely to become impacted than any other teeth. Most of the time, a person’s jaw is too small to accommodate four extra teeth, and the wisdom teeth do not have space to grow into a healthy position. Instead, they grow in sideways and start to damage adjacent structures and teeth. Sometimes strange growths can block the path of the wisdom teeth, causing issues when it’s time for the teeth to erupt. In situations like these, you will need an oral surgeon to remove the wisdom teeth to prevent infection and other problems.
Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Teeth
In the beginning, your impacted teeth may not have any painful or uncomfortable symptoms — that’s why it’s so important to have regular exams with your dentist, who will be able to detect wisdom teeth before they start to emerge. As impacted wisdom teeth continue to develop, you may notice some of the following symptoms:
- Swelling of the gums behind or near your back molars
- Pain when opening the mouth wide
- Pain or sensitivity around the back molars, especially while eating
- Persistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste in the mouth
How to Prevent Impacted Teeth
The only way to prevent impacted teeth is to have regular exams with dentists and other oral health professionals so that they can track the development of your teeth. There is no way to prevent impaction without the help of a dental professional. Usually, if teeth are at risk of becoming impacted, your dental professional can prevent oral health problems either by using braces or extracting the teeth in question, depending on the teeth in need of treatment.
Wisdom Teeth Removal in Willow Park, TX
If your wisdom teeth become painful or impacted, Trinity River Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center can help. Our oral surgeon has been extracting wisdom teeth for years, and he will be happy to help you improve your oral health.