Wisdom teeth are molars final which is located at the rear. Wisdom teeth generally grow when a person is a teenager or adult, which is around the age of 17 .–25 years.
As the last tooth to come out, sometimes wisdom teeth don't get enough room to grow and come out of the gums. This condition causes wisdom teeth to not grow or come out perfectly (impacted). As a result, the tooth only comes out partially or not at all.
Impacted wisdom teeth will increase the risk of toothache and gum disease. Impacted wisdom teeth can be treated by removing them by a dentist.
Causes of Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are actually normal and will erupt (grow and come out) with age. However, if there is insufficient space in the oral cavity, there are obstacles or obstructions in the area where the wisdom teeth should erupt, or the wisdom teeth are positioned abnormally, wisdom tooth impaction will occur.
Impacted wisdom teeth that are left untreated can cause pain, swelling, infection, and damage the surrounding teeth.
Wisdom Tooth Symptoms
The growth of wisdom teeth generally does not cause any symptoms. New wisdom teeth will cause symptoms when impacted. Symptoms include:
- Tooth and gum pain
- Swollen gums
- Jaw swelling and pain
- Bad breath
- Difficult to open mouth
- Discomfort or pain when eating
When to go to the doctor
Immediately to the dentist if the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth appear above. If you are diagnosed with impacted wisdom teeth, have regular check-ups according to the schedule given by your dentist.
Wisdom Tooth Diagnosis
The dentist will ask the patient's symptoms, then examine the patient's teeth and mouth to determine the condition of his wisdom teeth.
After that, to confirm the condition of the wisdom teeth, the doctor will perform a scan with dental X-rays. Through a dental X-ray scan, the doctor can determine the position and condition of the impacted tooth.
Wisdom Tooth Treatment
Treatment of impacted wisdom teeth will be adjusted according to the severity. In the case of impacted wisdom teeth that do not cause any symptoms, the doctor can do two things, namely just monitoring the condition of the wisdom teeth on a regular basis or performing tooth extractions to avoid problems in the future. In severe cases, impacted teeth may need to be treated with surgery.
If the impacted wisdom tooth causes symptoms, the doctor will perform the extraction of the impacted wisdom tooth. After the tooth extraction procedure, patients may experience a number of side effects, such as pain, swollen face and mouth, tingling in the mouth, and stiff jaw. Generally, this is a side effect of using anesthetics.
During the recovery period, patients are advised not to smoke, to avoid alcoholic beverages, to consume soft or liquid foods. To relieve pain, the dentist will give you painkillers, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol.
The recovery period after tooth extraction can vary, generally around 2 weeks. During the recovery period, the doctor will monitor the condition of the patient's gums to ensure there are no complications from tooth extraction, such as infection and severe pain due to inflammation of the jawbone (alveolar osteitis).
Wisdom Tooth Complications
Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to the following complications:
- Infection
- rotten teeth
- Cavity
- Stacked teeth
- Tooth cyst
- Pericoronitis, which is inflammation of the gums and wisdom teeth
Wisdom Tooth Prevention
Wisdom tooth impaction cannot be prevented. However, infection and tooth decay due to this condition can be prevented by undergoing regular dental check-ups. Through regular check-ups, the dentist can treat the impacted wisdom tooth before it causes complications.