Discomfort occurs when a person does not have enough space in their mouth for the wisdom teeth to fully erupt. This is known as impacted wisdom teeth. An impacted wisdom tooth often causes a pocket between the gum and tooth which is quite difficult to clean, trapping bacteria and food. Once this starts to occur, you might experience swelling and pain in your jaw. Headaches are a common symptom of impacted wisdom teeth. You might also notice the swelling and pain occurring intermittently over several weeks. When this happens, you should see a dentist as soon as possible in order to prevent infection spreading and causing further problems to adjacent teeth.
If you are experiencing pain or swelling around your jaw and wisdom teeth, please see a dentist as soon as possible. If you are unable to immediately make an appointment, gently swish warm, salty water around the back of your mouth several times a day. It will help to dislodge any food or bacteria trapped in between the gum and impacted wisdom tooth while soothing the area. Ibuprofen or paracetamol can help with the pain – always follow recommended dosages and instructions.
If the infection around the gum and wisdom teeth is left too long, antibiotics may be required before any treatment can be performed.
Many patients find extractions overwhelming especially when the procedure involves more than one tooth. It is often recommended all wisdom teeth are removed at the same time to minimise the post-operative recovery time.
Our dentists use the 3D CBVT (Cone Beam Volumetric Tomography) to take a detailed x-ray showing the entire facial skeletal anatomy, including the location of the nerves. This enables them to determine the ease of removal. If all wisdom teeth need to be extracted, we encourage our patients to consider having the procedure performed by our highly experienced dentist, Dr Andrew Withers, under general anaesthetic at St Andrew’s Hospital, Toowoomba. If your extractions are deemed less complex, the removal can be done at our surgery.
If you are feeling nervous, please tell your dentist so he or she can arrange to make your visit as comfortable as possible.
Please note: All invasive or surgical procedures carry risks. Some people may not be suitable candidates for this procedure. Your dentist will discuss all risks prior to commencing any treatment.
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