Signs of an issue with your wisdom teeth from our dentist
Most people who are in their teens will assume that the discomfort associated with teething is long behind them. So, it can come as something of a surprise between the ages of 11 and 19 when the fourth set of teeth begin to erupt at the back of the mouth, which can be very uncomfortable.
Called wisdom teeth, these are molars that are associated with the coming of adolescence and are the last set of teeth to erupt in the adult mouth. However, given that the majority of your other teeth will already be in place, it can create something of a premium on space in the mouth and wisdom teeth can therefore cause a few problems!
If you suspect that you have an issue with your wisdom teeth, then come and see our team at Wisdom Dental. Our dentist in Acton will assess the condition of your wisdom teeth and your oral health in general and will then determine a course of action to either remove your wisdom teeth or prevent any further issues with them.
However, you may be wondering what some of the most common signs are that there is indeed a problem with your wisdom teeth, and in this article, our dentist in Acton aims to break that down for you.
Discomfort when opening your mouth
Do you suffer from discomfort in your jaw when you are yawning or biting into sandwiches or burgers or performing any other activity that requires you to open your jaw wide, such as singing? If you do, you may have an issue with your wisdom teeth, especially if they have only just begun to erupt. Our dentist in Acton will assess issues relating to swelling around the temporomandibular joint through X-ray and will assess your wisdom teeth for signs of infection.
Popping noises
If you bite into food or open your mouth to yawn and there is a popping sound from your jaw joint, this can indicate swelling around the lower molar teeth and can also indicate that there is an issue with the temporary mandibular jaw joint. This is often associated with problems concerning the wisdom teeth, so, in this instance, we may need to remove the wisdom teeth to prevent the swelling and popping sounds from causing a secondary issue, such as stiffness with the joint.
Infections around the teeth
Wisdom teeth are unfortunately notorious for becoming infected, primarily because there tends to be spacing between the side of the tooth and the gums surrounding it. If you suffer from recurring infections around these teeth, our team will usually aim to take them out to prevent damage to the tissues and the surrounding bone.
Impaction
Another thing that wisdom teeth are notorious for is becoming impacted!
This essentially means that when they erupt, they do not do so vertically and instead crash into the neighbouring molar teeth; this can be incredibly uncomfortable as pressure begins to build. In this case, we will usually always opt to extract the wisdom tooth.
Sinus headaches
If you are suffering from sinus headaches and your wisdom teeth are coming through, this can again be a sign of excessive inflammation, usually caused by erupting wisdom teeth on the upper jaw. So, we will look to assess the link and will then plan whether or not to remove these teeth.