
The last molars to grow in a person's jaw are the wisdom teeth. For many Australians, these teeth come in without any problems. But for some, they get impacted, which means they don't fully come through the gums because there isn't enough room. If your wisdom teeth are impacted, they can hurt, get infected, or damage nearby teeth. If your wisdom tooth is hurting, talk to your dentist about having it removed.
It's not always easy to decide whether or not to have your wisdom teeth removed. Some people never have to have their wisdom teeth taken out, while others have problems that keep coming back and make it necessary. The size of your jaw, the way your teeth are aligned, and the health of your mouth as a whole all matter.
I've seen patients who didn't pay attention to early signs of impacted wisdom teeth and then had to have more complicated tooth extractions later on. An early evaluation can prevent problems that don't need to happen, ensuring that removing wisdom teeth, if necessary, goes as smoothly as possible.
Persistent pain in the back of the mouth is one of the most important signs that wisdom teeth need to be removed. A wisdom tooth pushing against nearby teeth or becoming partially impacted is often the cause of this pain. If your gums are swollen, it's hard to open your mouth, or you have bad breath, it could mean that an infection is starting to grow. If you see these signs, don't put off seeing a dentist because problems that aren't treated can get worse and turn into cysts or abscesses.
Another common sign is that the front teeth are crowded. This happens when wisdom teeth come in and push against the teeth, changing the alignment that was achieved through previous orthodontic work. In these situations, getting rid of your wisdom teeth is a way to protect the health of your smile. An impacted wisdom tooth can also cause headaches or stiffness in the jaw by irritating nearby nerves. I've told many patients that getting their wisdom teeth out on time can help address these ongoing problems without making them worse.
Food can get stuck around a partially erupted wisdom tooth, leading to decay or gum disease in some people. In this case, taking out the tooth is often necessary to keep the other teeth healthy. It's important to keep a close eye on these signs because ignoring them could mean needing emergency dental care, like having wisdom teeth removed right away.

