By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2011-05-25 09:23:02 | Word Count: 664
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to develop. They usually appear during the late teenage to early adult stages of development. Wisdom teeth are commonly referred to as third molars because you should already have two molars in place on either side of the mouth, at the top and bottom. People normally develop four wisdom teeth, two at the top and two at the bottom.
Wisdom teeth can be problematic depending on the space in your jawbone. If there isn’t enough room, the wisdom teeth can crowd and damage the other molars. Wisdom teeth can also develop in several different positions and alignments. They grow at different horizontal and vertical angles. This may be bad for your other teeth.
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If a wisdom tooth does not emerge through the gum tissue, it is referred to as impacted. An impacted wisdom tooth remains totally or partially lodged beneath the gum line, near the jaw bone. Partially impacted wisdom teeth usually develop at a slightly vertical angle, where only one corner of the tooth gets through the surface. This is usually caused when there is a lack of space in your mouth.
Ignoring impacted wisdom teeth can be dangerous because they can cause infection, pain and damage to nearby teeth. A cyst can also develop because of impacted wisdom teeth if the area around the tooth becomes filled with fluid and enlarges. This can be harmful to the nerves and jawbone. An untreated cyst in this area can develop into a tumor that would require a surgical operation for removal.
Wisdom teeth that are impacted don’t necessarily cause problems at first. As they grow and develop overtime, you may start to recognize their damaging effects. The longer they are allowed to remain in your mouth, the longer their roots become and the more difficult they are to remove. Impacted wisdom teeth should be removed before they become harmful to your oral health, even if no problems are currently occurring.
You should definitely think about having your impacted wisdom teeth removed. With an X-ray, your dental professional can determine the position of your wisdom teeth and strategize about the best method if removing them. Wisdom teeth that are partially impacted can be removed more easily than those that are fully impacted. Removing fully impacted wisdom teeth requires that your doctor make an incision in your gums and used forceps to pull out the tooth. Before this occurs you will be given local or general anesthesia to numb the area and relax you.
The removal process doesn’t take that long, but it has an extensive recuperation time. The healing process is very intense because you will experience pain, swelling and bleeding. You will have to modify your eating habits to include only liquid foods and adjust your oral cleaning routine to prevent blood clots from being displaced and disrupted.
Dental health is a very important part of your overall health and wellbeing. Make the decision to take care of yourself by requesting an appointment today.
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