Impacted Wisdom Teeth

What You Need to Know About an Impacted Wisdom Tooth

If you are suffering from pain in the back of your mouth, you might have an impacted wisdom tooth. The difference between a regular wisdom tooth and an impacted one is that the impacted tooth is not coming in properly, or is stuck. An impacted tooth can cause a lot of problems in your day to day life if it is not taken care of. If you are looking for a solution to your problem, we here at Optimum Oral Surgery Group are here to give you the information and help that you need.

What are the Symptoms?

As hard to believe as it might seem, there are people who have impacted wisdom teeth and do not even realize that they are impacted. However, most people who have impacted wisdom teeth can tell something is wrong due to varying levels of discomfort or pain.

The gums covering the tooth could get inflamed or infected if ignored for too long. If this happens, you can experience uncomfortable pain in the back of your mouth. Your gums can start to bleed, and the swelling from your gums can cause your jaw to appear larger than normal. Also, due to the infection or swelling, you could have a foul odor emanating from your mouth. It can also make speaking and or eating more difficult. In some cases, it can even change the way your food tastes.

What Should Be Done?

The first thing that you should do if you experience any of these symptoms or believe you have an impacted wisdom tooth is see us. The first thing we will do is take a series of x-rays to get a better idea of what is going on inside your mouth. This way, we can assess the structure of your mouth and the position of your tooth. Once we know what the situation is, we will give you a description of what exactly will be done. If your tooth is coming out of your gums, then it can likely be removed with a simple extraction like any other tooth. However, if it is still under your gums, then the wisdom tooth removal will require a small incision must be made in the gums to reach the impacted tooth.

What Should I Do After Getting It Removed?

Once the tooth has been removed, most people will feel pain and discomfort in their jaw and gums for a few days. During the healing process, it is important not to break or dislodge the blood clot covering the wound. Your gums will also be very sensitive during this time. This means that some of your regular food choices might need to be temporarily cut out of your diet. This will include most beverages, besides water, and any food that requires a large amount of chewing. It would also be good to not brush your teeth for a full day after it is removed, or at the very least, brush only the unaffected areas of your mouth. The bristles can damage your gums and cause them to bleed and hurt, or worse yet, dislodge the blood clot. Once it is time for you to start brushing your teeth again, use a very soft toothbrush. Brush your teeth very gently and stop immediately if you experience pain, discomfort, or excessive bleeding. It would also be best for you to avoid the area where the tooth was removed altogether for now.

If you think you have an impacted wisdom tooth, contact Optimum Oral Surgery Group at (856) 437-4432 today to schedule an appointment.