What to Do When Wisdom Teeth Get in the Way

Dentist Blog

Over time, much has changed about the human body in terms of evolution. However, some parts of the body still represent a throwback to ancient days and may not be of much use to modern-day humans. If you're going through pain associated with what are euphemistically known as 'wisdom' teeth, then you may agree with this statement, especially as there seems to be little use for these spare molars today. Be that as it may, what can you do to alleviate your suffering and move on with your life? 

Spare Parts

Today's man or woman needs a certain number of teeth in order to function correctly, bite and masticate food for proper digestion. Unfortunately, there are four additional teeth that for most of adolescence hide beneath the surface and don't announce their presence.

At a certain point of development, however, these teeth will try to break through the skin, and this is where problems often materialise. Some lucky individuals will be able to survive with their wisdom teeth in place, but many will need to get them removed, as they will push against other teeth and impact the bone structure.

Impacted

When these teeth cause problems in this way, they are deemed to be impacted and will tirelessly try to improve their position in the mouth without any progress. As this happens, it will lead to a buildup of pain and in some cases the onset of infection.

Assessing the Situation

You will need to visit your dentist so that they can use sophisticated x-ray technology to investigate the problem. They will be able to have a look at the teeth and determine why they are not making any progress and, in many cases, will recommend their extraction. This can be a tricky task at times, but your dentist will be able to work out how to move forward based on the x-rays.

If the teeth have broken through the surface, then bacteria can often get in and spark an infection. This needs to be treated before any further work can be performed, and you may be prescribed a dose of antibiotics together with an anti-inflammatory for the time being.

Plan of Action

Once the infection has died down, the dentist will advise you on the next step, based on your specific situation. The good news is that you may only have to have two of your wisdom teeth taken out if the others are not impacted.

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28 August 2018

Unraveling Dental Myths about Children: A Blog for Parents

When I had my first child, I was a nervous wreck. Every book I read gave different advice, and I just wanted to be right! By the time I had my third child, some of the stress had abated. I now realised, there were tons of different perspectives on everything related to raising children including dentistry. To help parents, I have created this blog dedicated to unraveling dental myths about children. I am including posts that weigh both sides of issues such as thumb sucking, dental caries, breastfeeding, flossing and any other topic I can think of. I hope you find the information you need to unravel dental myths, but most importantly, I hope you find some peace of mind. With kids and dentistry, there can be more than one right answer, and I want you to be able to relax and go with the answer that's right for you.