If there’s not enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth, they can become impacted, meaning they get trapped under the gums. Not only can this be very painful, but if the wisdom teeth aren’t removed as promptly as possible, they could start causing additional oral health problems. Below are 4 examples of consequences you might experience if you don’t have your impacted wisdom teeth extracted.
1. You Might Develop an Infection
Some wisdom teeth are only partially impacted, meaning they erupt part of the way through your gums. This can make it very difficult to clean them properly. As a result, harmful bacteria may start to accumulate in the area where the wisdom teeth are located, thus increasing your risk for oral infections. In particular, you could suffer from pericoronitis, which is a type of gum disease that specifically occurs around partially erupted teeth.
2. Your Wisdom Teeth May Develop Cavities
As you can probably guess, being unable to properly brush your wisdom teeth could ultimately lead to tooth decay. This can be a serious problem to deal with under the best of circumstances, but a partially impacted wisdom tooth with a cavity can be especially difficult to treat due to its location.
3. Your Wisdom Teeth May Damage Your Surrounding Teeth
Because wisdom teeth often attempt to erupt at an angle, they can end up pushing on your other teeth. Consequently, the teeth in question may start to move out of alignment, and their roots may be damaged. On top of that, if a wisdom tooth is suffering from tooth decay, the bacteria causing the problem could spread to other teeth, resulting in additional cavities.
4. You Might Develop a Cyst
In some cases, wisdom teeth can lead to the formation of cysts, which are small pockets filled with fluid or pus. A cyst caused by a wisdom tooth is usually benign, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore it. When left alone, cysts can grow bigger over time, potentially damaging the roots of your teeth, the underlying bone in your jaw, and nearby nerves.
What Should You Do About Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
It’s best to have your wisdom teeth removed before they can lead to any truly serious consequences. Your dentist can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary by carefully examining your mouth and taking X-rays. Removing an impacted wisdom tooth usually requires surgery; rest assured that your mouth will be numbed for the procedure for the sake of your comfort.
You definitely don’t want to leave an impacted wisdom tooth alone for too long. If you have any reason to think that you have a wisdom tooth that has failed to erupt correctly, call your dentist immediately!
About the Practice
Here at Rauchberg Dental Group, our patients can benefit from the knowledge and experience of an entire team of dental experts in Parsippany. With multiple dentists and specialists in one place, we’re naturally able to offer a wide range of services, and that includes wisdom tooth extractions. To schedule a consultation with us, visit our website or call (973) 718-9887.