HINTON, EDSON, JASPER, ALBERTA - Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars, located at the very back of the mouth. They are called wisdom teeth
because usually they come in when a person is between 17 and 21 years
or older-old enough to have gained some "wisdom." Wisdom teeth that are
healthy and properly positioned do not cause problems.
Wisdom
teeth may break partway through your gums, causing a flap of gum tissue
to grow over them where food can become trapped and a gum infection can
develop. Wisdom teeth can also come in crooked or facing the wrong
direction. Or, if your jaw is not large enough to give them room, they
may become impacted and unable to break through your gums. You may have
trouble properly cleaning around wisdom teeth because they are so far in
the back of your mouth and may be crowded.What are the symptoms of wisdom teeth problems?
Wisdom teeth often cause no symptoms. Symptoms that may mean your wisdom teeth need to be removed include:
- Pain or jaw stiffness near an impacted tooth.
- Pain or irritation from a tooth coming in at an awkward angle and rubbing against your cheek, tongue, or top or bottom of the mouth.
- An infected swelling in the flap of gum tissue that has formed on top of an impacted tooth that has partially broken through the gum.
- Crowding of other teeth.
- Tooth decay or gum disease if there's not enough room to properly care for the wisdom tooth and surrounding teeth.
Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of a wisdom tooth coming through your gum or crowding other teeth. You will have X-rays to find out whether your wisdom teeth are causing problems now or are likely to cause problems in the future.
Treatment
The most common treatment for wisdom tooth problems is removal (extraction) of the tooth. Experts disagree about whether to remove a wisdom tooth that is not causing symptoms or problems. Oral surgeons generally agree that removing a wisdom tooth is easier in younger people (usually in their early 20s), when the tooth's roots and the jawbone are not completely developed. In the late 20s and older, the jawbone tends to get harder, and healing generally takes longer.