Wisdom tooth removal is a rite of passage – also,it may be completely unnecessary.
We’ve talked before about some of the myths of wisdom tooth removal – one of the most prevalent of which is the myth that ALL wisdom teeth must be removed. Rather, it is best to treat every person individually.
Of course, there are still some instances where wisdom tooth removal is necessary.
Just like we always say: if there\’s pain, there\’s an emergency.
And in many cases, it’s your wisdom teeth that are the cause!
However, they may be issues with your wisdom teeth that don’t manifest themselves as pain right now, but are still brewing into serious problems. There are instances where you might need to remove your wisdom teeth, even though no symptoms have developed yet.
And fortunately, wisdom tooth removal is something that our emergency dentists in Armadale may be able to for you!
4 reasons you might need emergency wisdom tooth removal
Back in ye olde days, when people ate coarser food, lived rougher lives, and didn’t have access to modern dental care, having an extra couple of teeth as spares was a great thing.
When people inevitably lost one of their teeth due to their hard lifestyles, their wisdom teeth would ensure that they still had a full set of teeth.
Of course, nowadays, that isn’t something we have to worry about!
Because of this, these late-bloomer teeth can come with a range of issues that our ancestors didn’t have to deal with, such as…
1) Impacted wisdom tooth
Your wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth that will erupt in your mouth, erupting between 17 and 22.
As the last teeth to erupt, they frequently have very little space to work with!
While some people still have enough space in their jaws to accommodate their wisdom teeth, not everyone will.
If a tooth fails to fully erupt, you have a case of partially or fully impacted teeth on your hands. These teeth are trapped under the gums, growing at an angle or impacting the surrounding teeth.
This can lead to a range of different side-effects:
- Swelling
- Difficulty opening your mouth and jaw issues or pain
- Pathologies such as cysts
In these cases, the only way forward is wisdom tooth removal, courtesy of your emergency dentist in Armadale.
2) Crowded teeth
Sometimes there’s just enough space for your wisdom teeth to grow out – however, that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s enough for them to grow out comfortably!
Crowded teeth are a common consequence of wisdom tooth eruption, leading to uneven teeth, usually anteriorly.
Of course, the effects aren’t just aesthetic – they can also affect your oral health.
For example, the unevenness creates more nooks and crannies for oral bacteria to take hold, and make keeping your teeth clean considerably more difficult, increasing your risk of oral health problems and gum disease.
Once they’ve erupted, orthodontics might be the only way to correct the misalignment.
However, if they’re detected early enough, wisdom tooth removal can protect your teeth from overcrowding.
3) Surrounding teeth damage.
Sometimes, your wisdom teeth can lean as they try and erupt against existing teeth, namely against the second molar which erupts at age 12 or so.
Sometimes the wisdom tooth is not lined up properly and is on an inopportune angle. This angle may cause several issues:
- Food packing and a cavity on either or both the wisdom tooth or the second molar.
- Dissolution of the part of the second molar that touches the wisdom tooth
- Cysts or other pathology that may damage the wisdom tooth or the second molar, or even the first molar.
Sometimes these issues cause symptoms or discomfort, but rarely early on. Often if you wait for symptoms to become aware of problems, the issues are severe and the consequences are serious.
Routine check ups are a good way of spotting these issues and achieving the best possible result – that is to say, saving all of your teeth.
4) Tooth decay and infection
Tooth decay can happen in any of your teeth – however, wisdom teeth are especially vulnerable.
While sometimes it’s the result of one of the above problems, oftentimes it isn’t because of anything unique to wisdom teeth. Sometimes, the reason is as simple as the fact that your wisdom teeth are further back.
Since they’re further back, it’s a lot harder to brush and floss them thoroughly!
And that makes them more vulnerable to issues like tooth decay, bacteria, gum infection and other issues!
Wisdom tooth assessment process
So your wisdom teeth are being a pain – literally. Initial examinations for adults involve assessing your wisdom teeth and potential future issues.
To examine your wisdom teeth and surrounding areas for pathology or latent issues, a special X Ray is required.
Our dental clinic in Armadale has an X ray machine (an Orthopantomogram, or OPG) on-site. This is something we’ve undertaken to avoid the unnecessary wait that would be required if we, as many dentists do, send our patient off to radiology clinics and await the film to be sent back.
Instead of needing to reappoint at another location and wait for the result and or treatment plan, we do everything in-house.
Once the clinical examination has been done, and the X-ray result obtained, our Armadale Dentist can then advise what treatment, if any, is required.
It sounds intimidating, we know – that’s why our Armadale dentists have put together this article explaining just what the process of having your wisdom teeth taken out looks like.
Step #1: wisdom tooth extraction assessment
Before the extraction, your emergency dentist in Armadale will carry out an oral examination. We’ll inspect your mouth and also conduct an X-ray.
This step is all about learning the position and condition of your wisdom tooth – vital information if we’re to successfully remove it without unwelcome complications.
Step #2: Wisdom tooth removal
Once we know what we’re dealing with, it’s time to get onto the actual procedure itself.
This procedure is carried out under either local anaesthesia, general anaesthesia or Intravenous sedation depending on the amount of work that needs to be done, and your feelings.
Depending on the exact issue, your emergency dentist may be able to remove your wisdom teeth without having to make an incision – in other cases (such as impacted wisdom teeth) they might have to schedule a surgical procedure.
Step #3: Recovery
The first three to five days after your wisdom tooth extraction, you might be forced to eat slowly and stick to soft foods and soups as your gums and the area of the tooth extracted slowly recover from the procedure.
You might also be advised to reduce your physical activity in the first 2 to 3 days, and if necessary, make other arrangements for your work and errands after undergoing tooth extraction.
You might also be prescribed antibiotics and pain relievers after extraction to manage the risk of infection and minimise pain.
Wisdom teeth problems? Call an emergency dentist in Armadale ASAP!
The wisest thing to do if your wisdom teeth are causing you pain is to call an emergency dentist.
Our dental clinic in Armadale can resolve a range of different oral health problems, including issues with your wisdom teeth.
Whether it’s simply checking them for some of the common wisdom tooth problems listed above or performing wisdom tooth extraction, our dentists in Armadale ensure that you don’t have to live with unwelcome dental pain for long.
Call Dental Care Group on (03) 9509 1500 for immediate wisdom tooth advice.
Alternatively, schedule your visit online to see when our Armadale dentist is next available to look after you.
