The most well-known thing about wisdom teeth, or third molars, is that they’re often the most problematic of all of your teeth. For some people, the trouble begins right away, as the molar may be impacted within the jawbone before it ever has a chance to erupt. For others, the tooth may partially erupt, but fail to completely because it’s impacted by the second molar already present. While impaction can mean different things for different wisdom teeth, some of the signs are often similar. If you experience any of them, then it may be time to consider surgically extracting your wisdom teeth.
You feel pain in the back of your dental ridges
Your third molars are the final molars to develop, which means they’re the last ones at the back of your dental ridges. When they become impacted, this is also the first area you may begin to feel any pain or discomfort. Unlike a common toothache, you may not be able to pinpoint exactly where the pain is originating from, but it can be easy to tell if it’s an impacted wisdom tooth. To know for sure, your dentist or oral surgeon can take digital X-rays of your dental ridges to see exactly where your molars are and how they’re developing.
Your other molars feel like they’re moving
If you don’t feel any significant discomfort in your dental ridges, you may notice that your second molars are starting to feel like they’re moving. This can be due to the pressure of the impacted wisdom tooth pushing against it and forcing out of its position and/or alignment. It can also affect how your bite feels, compromise your gum tissues surrounding the tooth, and more. By extracting your impacted wisdom teeth, you can remove the source of the trouble and avoid damaging your other teeth any further.
You notice damage to one or more other molars
In addition to changing positions, your other molars can also suffer damage depending on the angle and pressure of the impacted wisdom tooth. Things like cracks/fractures, breaks, and more can occur and grow more severe as the wisdom tooth continues to push against it. After extracting your impacted wisdom teeth, you might require additional restorative measures to rebuild the damaged tooth, or extract and replace it if the damage is extreme.
Find out if your wisdom teeth are impacted
If your wisdom teeth have become impacted, then extracting them as soon as possible may be the best way to avoid more serious oral health complications. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
