Have you noticed swelling on your jaw? Have you started feeling pain when you open your mouth and chew your food?

It could be because of your impacted wisdom tooth. Sometimes, the pain can be so severe that it starts affecting your quality of life. The problems associated with impacted teeth can be overwhelming at times and interfere with your talking, eating, and chewing routines.  

But before that, let’s understand what wisdom teeth are.

Wisdom teeth, the ones that grow last at the back of your mouth, usually do not trouble us as much as they are non-functional. But, sometimes, you can develop an impacted wisdom tooth condition if there is insufficient space for your wisdom tooth to emerge or if it cannot grow normally.  

Such a condition can be very painful, lead to other dental complications like damage to neighbouring teeth, and cause difficulties in cleaning the mouth. In this informative guide, we will uncover the causes and symptoms of this condition and explore the solutions to restore harmony to your mouth.

3 Causes Leading To Impacted Wisdom Tooth 

For many people, wisdom teeth emerge without causing any problems, but they become impacted in certain instances. Let us explore some of them:

• If you have a small jaw or mouth, your mouth can be too crowded for your wisdom teeth to grow properly. Hence, they do not fully emerge into the mouth, becoming impacted, leading to infections, ear pain, and swelling.  
• Sometimes your wisdom tooth can grow in an atypical direction, at an angle towards the next tooth or an angle towards the back of your mouth. Such teeth growing in a different direction can damage the adjacent teeth and cause pain.
• When your tooth grows straight up or down but remains trapped within your jawbone.

Signs And Symptoms Caused By Impacted Teeth

Some people with impacted wisdom teeth do not experience any symptoms. In cases where the impacted teeth are infected or cause issues like damaging other teeth, the signs and symptoms can be like this:

• Pain or swelling in the area surrounding the jaw
• Swollen, red, tender, and bleeding gums
• Difficulty in opening your mouth
• An unpleasant taste inside your mouth
• Bad breath

Diagnosing Impacted Teeth

Your dentist will first conduct a thorough evaluation of your teeth and mouth to determine whether impacted teeth are the root cause of your symptoms or if there is another underlying condition causing the discomfort. 

The evaluation can include this:

• A comprehensive check of the condition of your teeth and gums
• Queries about your general health and dental symptoms
• Dental x-rays to identify impacted teeth and find indications of teeth or bone damage

Exploring The Treatment Options For Impacted Teeth

In the case of asymptomatic impacted teeth, many dentists often advise extraction as a preventive measure against potential complications like infection or tooth decay. 

Experienced dentists at the best dental hospital in Hyderabad make a meticulous assessment based on the angle from where the tooth erupts and how it pushes against the other teeth. Such an evaluation helps them determine if the asymptomatic impacted teeth can lead to future issues or if a watchful approach is more suitable.

Surgical Extraction Of Impacted Teeth

In cases where impacted teeth cause symptoms or dental problems, your dentist may suggest tooth removal as a suitable course of action.

Indications for tooth extraction:

• Tooth decay occurring in a partially-erupted wisdom tooth
• Development of cysts or tumours around the wisdom teeth
• Signs of damage to the nearby teeth
• Gum infection or inflammation

Here is a peek into the extraction process:

• Anaesthesia administration: The surgeon has the option of using local anaesthesia for numbing your mouth or sedation anaesthesia to induce relaxation. In certain cases, general anaesthesia might be necessary to induce unconsciousness during the procedure.
• Tooth extraction: Following an incision in your gums to expose the tooth and gums, the surgeon removes the impacted tooth, stitches the wound, and places gauze in the empty space.

What to expect after the procedure

As it is an outpatient procedure, you can go home the same day after wisdom teeth removal. 

After your wisdom tooth extraction, you may experience some pain or bleeding and even swelling at the site in your mouth. You may find it difficult to open your mouth because of your jaw swelling. Some people even experience a weird taste in their mouths. 

Your dentist will advise you to apply cold compresses to ease the swelling, prescribe pain medications and guide you on how to care for your wounds. If you experience excessive bleeding or severe pain, promptly seek assistance from your oral surgeon for quick relief.

You might also get a fever, and you can take Dolo or any paracetamol-based medicine. If fever doesn’t subside in 2-3 days, then reach out to your dentist immediately. 

Wrapping Up

If you have impacted teeth that are troublesome, it is advisable to visit your dentist for an evaluation. A delay may lead to permanent problems that may be more severe than what you are experiencing right now. Wisdom teeth removal is a common treatment method for impacted teeth issues that usually take up to one week for a full recovery.

At Gnathos, our team of oral surgeons, with their hands-on experience in all major dental procedures, follow globally recognised quality standards for the best outcomes. We use the latest advancements in dental technology and state-of-the-art equipment to make tooth removal as smooth and painless as possible.

So, cast aside your apprehensions and schedule a visit to the best dental hospital in Hyderabad for a thorough checkup and get the best possible treatment options for your impacted tooth.