Wisdom Teeth & Related Problems

Don’t wait till it hurts; have Dr Perry evaluate your wisdom teeth before they become a problem.  Wisdom teeth or third molar problems can occur at any age from early teenagers to adults.  The problem can become a difficult one to deal with if it is left untreated.  Sometimes the common problems describe below or signs and symptoms come and go and most patients think the problem goes away, but it does not.  Have Dr Perry evaluate your wisdom teeth with the proper radiology and clinical examination before there is pain.

By the age of eighteen, the average adult has 32 teeth; 16 teeth on the top and 16 teeth on the bottom. Each tooth in the mouth has a specific name and function. The teeth in the front of the mouth (incisors, canine and bicuspid teeth) are ideal for grasping and biting food into smaller pieces. The back teeth or molar teeth are used to grind food up into a consistency suitable for swallowing.

The average mouth is made to hold only 28 teeth. It can be painful when 32 teeth try to fit in a mouth that holds only 28 teeth.

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. When they align properly and gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this does not generally happen, very few patients are able to keep their wisdom teeth or third molar(s) their entire life without problem.

The extraction of wisdom teeth is necessary when they are prevented from properly erupting within the mouth. They may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum and even remain trapped beneath the gum and bone.

 
Progress of the Developing Wisdom Tooth or Third Molars & Three Common Problems That Can Occur
wisdom_teeth

 

A Common Wisdom Tooth Problem (Scenario 1)

Damage To The Adjacent Tooth

 Click The Picture To See The Video
Often A wisdom tooth or a third molar does not have enough room to erupt it will literally just smash into the adjacent or the neighboring tooth and cause damage to that tooth.  The damage could result in the need for that good tooth or adjacent tooth to require a filling, a root canal therapy a post and core and a crown or worse there may be so much damage to the adjacent tooth that that tooth could be lost and the need for an extraction of the impacted or crowded third molar and the adjacent tooth as well.  Have Dr Perry evaluate your wisdom teeth with the proper radiographs to determine if they should be removed before they cause damage.  Sometimes they don’t even hurt until it is to late!!

 

A Very Common Wisdom Tooth Problem (Scenario 2)

Cyst or Infection Develops around an Impacted Wisdom Tooth

 Click The Picture To See The Video
Often the wisdom tooth or third molar does not have enough room to erupt and it could remain in the bone or the gum tissue and then the gum tissue could become infected.  Similar to the video above describing damage to the adjacent tooth.  A cyst could develop around the wisdom tooth  and an emergency situation could arise and then the need for a wisdom tooth extraction that could become painful and or life threatening.  In addition to that problem it could be combined with damage to the adjacent tooth as described above compounding the problem.   Have Dr Perry evaluate your wisdom teeth with the proper radiographs to determine if they should be removed before they cause damage or infection.  Sometimes they don’t even hurt until it is to late!!

 

The Most Common Wisdom Tooth Problem (Scenario 3)

Infected Gum Tissue Around A Wisdom Tooth & The Adjacent Tooth also known as PERICORONITIS

 Click The Picture To See The Video
Oftgen the wisdom tooth or third molar does not have enough room to fully erupt, it makes its way up but not all the way.  Sometimes there is crowding or additional gum tissue and the patient is not able to clean it properly or does not come to the dentist to have proper regular hygiene visits,  So the gum tissue becomes infected, inflammed and painful and somtimes puss comes up from around the area and you don’t even see the wisdom tooth.  This can cause a severe infection as described above such as a cyst or damage to the adjacent tooth as described above in the other two scenarios.  Have Dr Perry evaluate your wisdom teeth with the proper radiology to determine if your wisdom teeth should be removed before they cause damage or infection.  Sometimes they don’t even hurt until it is to late!!

 

Additional Wisdom Tooth Problems

Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to erupt successfully. These poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause many problems. When they are partially erupted, the opening around the tooth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually cause an infection or pericoronitis. The result: swelling, stiffness, pain and illness, including difficulty to swallow, fever, dizziness, the inability to open your mouth all the way. The pressure from the erupting wisdom tooth may move other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of teeth. The most serious problem occurs when tumors or cysts form around the impacted wisdom tooth, resulting in the destruction of the jawbone and healthy teeth. In some severe situations you may require a hospital visit for IV antibiotics and an overnight stay.  

Removal of the offending impacted tooth or teeth usually resolves these problems.

Regular Hygiene Visits Prevent The Problem So YOU can Elect WHEN you would like to have them removed, You plan your dental treatment, Don’t let your TEETH plan your life.

Had Enough! Click Here To Schedule A Consultation To Have your Wisdom Teeth Evaluated or call (631) 654-0707

Early removal is recommended to avoid such future problems and to decrease the surgical risk involved with the procedure.           

More Videos Below To Learn Even More

Wisdom Teeth Presentation

To provide you with a better understanding of wisdom teeth, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to wisdom teeth are discussed.

Wisdom Teeth Presentation

Had Enough! Click Here To Schedule A Consultation To Have your Wisdom Teeth Evaluated

Already Had An Extraction & Need Post Operative Instruction Click Here or Call (631) 654-0707