Wisdom teeth are the molars (back teeth) that come through last, usually in your late teens or early 20s. This is a normal part of mouth development. There are usually four wisdom teeth – two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw – but some people have more, fewer, or even none at all.
Some wisdom teeth erupt (emerge through the gum) without causing any problems, but sometimes, wisdom teeth come through at an angle and push into the gum or the tooth beside them. This is called impacted wisdom teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth can be painful and sometimes get infected. Brushing these teeth can be difficult. Food and bacteria can get stuck between the wisdom tooth and the tooth next to it, leading to tooth decay and gum infections. Crowded wisdom teeth in the upper jaw often lean sideways and rub against the cheek. This may cause ulcers on the cheek and chewing problems.
One of our dentists may recommend that your wisdom teeth be removed if there is not enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to come through properly – removing a tooth early may help prevent a future problem. If you are experiencing pain, infection, damage to other teeth. One of our dentists may also recommend keeping a watch on the tooth in case it looks like causing problems later.
X-rays will help to tell if wisdom teeth might cause problems. Some wisdom teeth do not cause problems and do not need to be taken out. If your wisdom teeth do need to be taken out, you will be given a local anesthetic so you won’t feel it – this is the most common pain relief option. Many dental practices don’t like to offer wisdom tooth removal as they can be difficult to take out. However, with Pimpama City Dental Centre you can rest assure that our team are confident and experienced in wisdom teeth removal and impacted wisdom teeth removal.