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What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

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What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Introduction:

We have compiled this article on “What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?”. The reference links are at the bottom of the article.

[1]What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth — also called third molars — are the last set of teeth that grow in. They usually erupt (break through your gums) between the ages of 17 and 25. Sometimes, wisdom teeth erupt in alignment with your other teeth and don’t cause any problems. Other times, they become either partially or fully trapped in your gums or jawbone. This is referred to as impaction. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause a variety of oral health problems, including cavities, gum disease, and infection.

Fully impacted wisdom teeth, partially impacted wisdom teeth and non-impacted wisdom teeth: What’s the difference?

Fully impacted wisdom teeth aren’t visible. They’re completely hidden underneath your gums. A partially impacted wisdom tooth is slightly visible because part of it has erupted. Non-impacted wisdom teeth have erupted and are completely visible above your gum line. It’s important to note that non-impacted wisdom teeth can still cause problems.

Soft Tissue Impaction Vs. Hard Tissue Impaction

You might hear your dentist use the terms “soft tissue impaction” and “hard tissue impaction.” Soft tissue impaction means your tooth has erupted from your jawbone but hasn’t broken through your gums. Hard tissue impaction means your tooth is still completely covered by your gums and jawbone.

What Are The Different Types Of Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Angular Impaction:

Angular impaction describes a tooth that is angled from 1-90 degrees. Teeth while a small angle may be closely monitored, while teeth that are closer to 90 degrees will likely be extracted to prevent damage to the surrounding teeth, bone, and gums. Depending on the direction of the angle, angular impaction can be further classified as mesial or distal. Mesial angular impaction is the most common type of impaction and it usually occurs as partial impaction. With mesial impaction, the tooth is angled towards the front of the mouth. Distal angular impactions, on the other hand, are the least common type of impaction. With distal impactions, the tooth is angled towards the back of the mouth.

Horizontal Impaction:

Horizontal impaction describes a tooth that is completely horizontal, or parallel, to the gum line. Most cases of horizontal impaction are fully impacted. Out of all the types of impaction, this is the most painful because the horizontal wisdom tooth is constantly applying force to the molar next to it. For this reason, horizontally impacted wisdom teeth will need to be extracted as soon as possible. Otherwise, the wisdom tooth will keep pushing against the surrounding molar. In addition to being extremely painful, this can also cause severe damage to the molar being pushed.

Vertical Impaction:

Vertical impaction describes a tooth that is vertical or almost vertical in position. Since this is the proper position for eruption, this type of impaction may not require extraction. However, in cases where the tooth is pressing into the tooth next to it, or if there is excess pressure being exerted on the tooth’s roots, extraction may be needed.

How Common Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Impacted wisdom teeth are extremely common. According to the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 90% of people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth.

[2]What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

The human mouth normally does not have room for 32 teeth, which includes the four wisdom teeth, so if wisdom teeth come through, they may cause crowding, infections, ear pain, and swelling.

Generally, people have four wisdom teeth. A person can have between none and four, and in rare cases, individuals may have more than four.

Having a small jaw or mouth with an abundance of teeth does not allow wisdom teeth to come through — they do not fully emerge into the mouth. This can also lead to crowding, infections, ear pain, and swelling.

Wisdom teeth can also grow in an atypical direction, coming out sideways, at an atypical angle, or only partially. Wisdom teeth that grow in different positions can cause pain and damage adjacent teeth. Even if no apparent damage occurs, the angle and position of wisdom teeth can make them susceptible to disease and bacteria buildup, which can lead to infection and decay.

In most cases, people do not need to remove their wisdom teeth as long as they practice good oral hygiene. However, they may need removal if a person or dentist notices changes in the mouth.

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!

Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental

Article reference links

  1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22296-impacted-wisdom-teeth ↑
  2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/188660#what-are-impacted-wisdom-teeth ↑

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What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
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6 Tips For Quick Recovery Post Wisdom Tooth Extraction

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6 Tips For Quick Recovery Post Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Introduction:

We have compiled this article on “6 Tips For Quick Recovery Post Wisdom Tooth Extraction”. The reference links are at the bottom of the article.

[1]Pain, swelling and trismus are common complications associated with third molar surgery. These complications have been reported to have an adverse effect on the quality of life of patients undergoing third molar surgery. Inflammatory complications after third molar surgery still remains an important factor in quality of life of patients at the early postoperative periods. Oral surgeons should be aware of the different modalities of alleviation of these complications to make postoperative recovery more comfortable for patients.

Surgical excision of a normal tissue in order to create a ‘window’ for evacuation of inflammatory exudates needs a second thought. In surgical practice, it is quite unusual to excise normal tissues without associated pathology except in few occasions such as excision of malignant conditions or benign lesions with high recurrent potentials, where some margin of normal tissue is taken along with the lesion to ensure adequate clearance. Thus, excision of normal mucosa as a means of evacuating inflammatory exudates appears to deviate from good surgical principles and should be discouraged. In addition, the process of tissue excision may add to the surgical trauma and may presumably result in prolonged operation time and delayed healing.

[2]Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a fibrin matrix composed of cells, cytokines, and growth factors, which may be liberated from blood at specific times and act as a resorbable membrane. Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of PRF for bone healing in oral and maxillofacial implant surgery. Our study assesses the impact of PRF on postoperative complications following the extraction of impacted wisdom teeth. Based on the outcomes of our study, implanting PRF into surgical extraction sites can be helpful in reducing postoperative pain and improving soft tissue healing. The use of PRF in extraction sockets is simple and biologically safe. The beneficial effects of PRF support its possible application in the field of dental surgery.

[3]Oral Examination

With an oral examination and x-rays of the mouth, our doctors can evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth and predict if there are present or future potential problems. Studies have shown that early evaluation and treatment result in a superior outcome for the patient. Patients are generally first evaluated in the mid-teenage years by their dentist, orthodontist, or by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

Why Should I Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

If you do not have enough room in your mouth for your third molars to fully erupt, a number of problems can happen. Impacted wisdom teeth should be removed before their root structure is fully developed. In some patients it is as early as 12 or 13, and in others it may not be until the early twenties.

What If I Don’t Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed As A Teenager Or Young Adult?

As wisdom teeth develop, the roots become longer and the jaw bone more dense.When it is necessary to remove impacted wisdom teeth in your thirties, forties or beyond, the post-operative course can be prolonged and there is a higher complication rate. Treating these complications is often more difficult and less predictable than with a younger patient. Healing may be slower and the chance of infection can be increased. If your impacted wisdom teeth are not removed in your teenage years or early in your twenties and they are completely impacted in bone, it may be advisable to wait until a localized problem (such as cyst formation or localized gum disease and bone loss) develops. In general, you will heal faster, more predictably and have fewer complications if treated in your teens or early twenties.

What Happens On The Day Wisdom Teeth Are Removed?

Most people prefer to be unaware of the experience when they have their wisdom teeth removed and usually decide to be sedated. You will be provided with appropriate anesthesia options at your consultation. All outpatient surgery is performed under appropriate anesthesia to maximize your comfort. Our office staff has the training, licensing, and experience to provide the various types of anesthesia. These services are provided in an environment of optimum safety, utilizing modern monitoring equipment and a well trained experienced staff. The Surgical Care Team, the office facilities, and the doctors are inspected on behalf of the Board of Dental Examiners on a regular basis.

On the day of your procedure, you will take medications to help minimize post-operative pain and swelling. We ask that a parent or responsible adult accompanies you to the office and plans to stay with you the rest of the day. The procedure will take about 30 to 60 minutes and you will probably be in the office for 90 minutes. Recent advances in medicine and technology allow patients to undergo wisdom tooth removal in a manner, which promotes rapid healing and minimal post-operative discomfort. State of the art sterilization and infection control techniques are used at all times.

On the morning or afternoon of your surgery, it is essential that you have nothing to eat or drink (excluding prescription medications with a sip of water) for at least 6 hours (preferably longer). This does not mean you should try to fit in one “last meal” exactly six hours before your surgery. Having anything in your stomach can increase the risk for serious anesthetic complications, including nausea and vomiting. Your procedure will be rescheduled if you have not heeded these guidelines. We may provide you with a prescription for pain medication at your consultation appointment, which for your convenience, can be filled in advance. When you are seated in the surgical room, we will make every effort to make you as comfortable as possible. If you are going to be sedated, we usually will place an IV in your left arm. This is a quick and nearly painless procedure that ensures optimal delivery of your medication. Local anesthesia is given to you afterwards to ensure comfort, and allow adequate time to travel home and rest. You will be sleepy for a significant portion of the day.

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3261018/ ↑

  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658361221000421 ↑

  3. https://www.uthscsa.edu/patient-care/dental/services/wisdom-teeth-removal ↑

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!

Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental

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6 Tips For Quick Recovery Post Wisdom Tooth Extraction
6 Tips For Quick Recovery Post Wisdom Tooth Extraction
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Wisdom Tooth Removal: What Happens When You Ignore Impacted Teeth For Long?

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Wisdom Tooth Removal: What Happens When You Ignore Impacted Teeth For Long?

Introduction:

We have compiled this article on “Wisdom Tooth Removal: What Happens When You Ignore Impacted Teeth For Long?”. The reference links are at the bottom of the article.

[1]Well, the unfortunate news is that 9 out of 10 people will have at least one impacted wisdom tooth requiring removal. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at wisdom teeth – what are they exactly and what happens if you leave them untreated.

Wisdom Teeth 101

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the very last teeth in the jaw to develop, and are located in the back most part of your mouth. These teeth often appear during what has been called the “Age of Wisdom”; that time of life between the ages of 17 and 25 years old.

Looking back in our human history, wisdom teeth didn’t give us the hassles they do today. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors primarily ate a diet of raw vegetables and meat which required large, strong jaws to chew – their third row of molars were helpful! Then, with the emergence of agricultural farming practices, our diets changed significantly. Early farmers had a much softer diet of cooked foods that didn’t demand as much chewing strength. Our skull and jaw sizes responded to these dietary changes by getting smaller. But while our jaws got smaller, our teeth size and number did not similarly decrease. So now most of us are left with the unfortunate situation of having relatively small jaws that just don’t have the room needed to best accommodate our wisdom teeth.

When Can I Keep My Wisdom Teeth?

We’re not all built the same, and truthfully some jaws can still accommodate wisdom teeth just fine. In these relatively few cases, wisdom teeth can “erupt” (that is, come completely through the gum) without any pain, disease, or other dental problems. In these cases, your oral surgeons may not recommend immediate extraction, but rather will recommend strongly that you stick to regular check-ups and cleanings with your dentist, that you maintain excellent oral hygiene practices at home, and receive periodic x-rays to evaluate the ongoing health of your wisdom teeth.

When Do My Wisdom Teeth Need To Be Extracted?

When a wisdom tooth doesn’t fully erupt through the gums, it is called an ”impacted” tooth. An impacted tooth is one that is unable to fully enter into the mouth through the gums because there just isn’t enough room. An impacted tooth can cause a whole host of problems, including:

  • Difficulty maintaining adequate brushing, which can lead to tooth decay and infection.
  • Damage to neighboring teeth.
  • Pain from pressure of the tooth overcrowding.
  • Systematic infections and illnesses that can affect the heart, kidneys and other organs when oral bacteria travels from the mouth into the bloodstream.
  • Fluid-filled cysts or tumors can form that can lead to hollowing of the jaw and damage to surrounding nerves.

[2]When Your Dentist Recommends Extraction

It’s imperative that you see a professional dentist for your impacted wisdom tooth. He or she can let you know when extraction would best be completed. You don’t want to wait to see a dentist when it comes to impacted wisdom teeth.

Impacted wisdom teeth are essentially trapped inside your jawbone. Leaving them alone could mean incurring jaw pain or even complications that would make extraction more difficult. If there are complications during your extraction, not only could the procedure be more expensive, your recovery time could take longer.

Signs to look out for with impacted wisdom teeth include pain, swelling, bleeding, or bad breath, which could mean you have an infection. Your dentist or oral surgeon can help you decide when the best time to extract your impacted wisdom tooth is.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth Can Ruin Orthodontic Work

Impacted wisdom teeth are more than just nuisances that you need to get out. They can cause some major problems if left alone, even if there’s only one of them. If you’ve had any previous orthodontic work done, impacted wisdom teeth can ruin it.

These wisdom teeth can push against your rows of teeth, making them crowd together and pushing them forward. Teeth can quickly become misaligned and you may even need a second set of braces after the removal if you wait too long.

  1. https://tahoeoralsurgery.com/blog/2018/dear-doctor-what-happens-if-i-ignore-my-wisdom-teeth ↑

  2. https://yourdentalhealthresource.com/how-long-can-i-ignore-my-impacted-wisdom-tooth/ ↑

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!

Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental

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Wisdom Tooth Removal: What Happens When You Ignore Impacted Teeth For Long?
Wisdom Tooth Removal: What Happens When You Ignore Impacted Teeth For Long?