Are you or your child experiencing jaw pain and swelling? For teens and young adults these symptoms could indicate an impacted wisdom teeth. Learn how the team at Hill Avenue Dental treats these troublesome molars.
Most people have 4 wisdom teeth–the third molars backmost in the mouth. Not fully functional for chewing, wisdom teeth usually trouble young people as they emerge from the jaws between the ages of 17 to 25.
Wisdom teeth can be more than a nuisance
Unfortunately, wisdom teeth do not always fully erupt into proper position in the mouth. They might remain impacted beneath the gum line, causing seriously uncomfortable symptoms of:
- tooth, gum or jaw pain
- jaw swelling and tenderness
- infection (pus)
- tooth decay
- gum disease (reddened, bleeding gums, swollen gums)
- impingement on adjacent molars, causing misalignment of other teeth
- chronic bad breath (halitosis)
In addition, some wisdom teeth become encapsulated in cysts. While these fluid-filled cysts are rarely cancerous, they cause substantial discomfort and swelling. They also push on surrounding teeth, roots and bone and require extraction.
What to do about an impacted wisdom tooth?
While skilled dentists such as H. Douglas Clark III DDS and Doug Clark, Jr. DDS track wisdom teeth development in younger patients, acute problems can still occur. Regardless if these third molars are detected on x–ray as troublesome, or if oral health problems raise a red flag, Superior wisdom tooth extraction is a common treatment.
These Superior, WI dentists take care to make a patient totally comfortable during wisdom teeth extraction in their Hill Avenue Dental office. Dr. Clark administers appropriate pain management medication and/or anesthesia to numb the area and relax the patient. The tooth may require just a simple extraction or sometimes incision of the gums to pull the tooth. Often, wisdom teeth are completely hidden below the gums or can be erupting at a forward, backward or sideways angle.
What does after care involve?
After wisdom tooth extraction, the patient rests at home and uses over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain as needed. Dr. Clark may prescribe stronger pain relievers and antibiotics as well, especially in the case of infection.
For additional comfort, rinse the mouth gently several times a day with warm salt water. Slowly introduce soft foods such as yogurt and soups as tolerated, and avoid drinking with a straw for a few days as the suction could disrupt the sutures.
Patients do well after Superior wisdom tooth extraction
If you suspect a problem with one of your third molars, or “wisdom teeth,” contact the friendly dental team at Hill Avenue Dental. Superior dentists Drs. Doug Clark Jr. and H. Douglas Clark III treat extraction patients with skill and kindness, getting their mouths healthy and feeling great!