When your wisdom teeth start to erupt through your gums, it can be a normal, problem-free process but for others, it can cause all sorts of dental issues. While you may have had no problems with your current set of teeth coming through, wisdom teeth come through later (with an already mouth full of teeth) and you may need wisdom tooth extraction/removal which is certainly a dental procedure Hawthorn East Dental have plenty of experience performing. Tooth pain at the back of your mouth may be a sign there is something amiss with your molars. We do not recommend you wait but book an appointment to assess your teeth.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are the teeth at the very back of your mouth. They tend to come through anywhere between teenage years and late 20s. It is believed that wisdom teeth were needed by our ancestors due to their coarse diet which has since changed.
The use of prophylactic removal of Wisdom tooth removal was once a common practice however, we believe it may be possible to monitor your wisdom teeth throughout the eruption process and advise on oral maintenance rather than extract ‘just in case’.
There may be cases where wisdom tooth removal is needed if your wisdom tooth does not fully erupt through your gums, only due to the problems it causes.
How Many Teeth Should You Have in Your Mouth Before Wisdom Teeth Erupt?
Generally, we have 32 teeth in our mouth before the wisdom teeth start to erupt. We recommend you have regular dental check-ups just prior to your wisdom teeth erupting to make sure they come through in a healthy way, with those already existing 32 teeth! After we have consulted with you on your current state of oral health, we can discuss a schedule to ensure your mouth is kept in great condition during wisdom tooth eruption. Some people never get their wisdom teeth but others do and keeping an eye on them is the best chance they have of coming through in a normal way.
What Problems Do Wisdom Teeth Cause?
With a mouth already full of teeth, some of the problems with getting your wisdom teeth are that they do not erupt all the way through the gums, also called impacted wisdom tooth, or they do not have enough room to come through thereby coming through on an angle.
In these cases, it may be necessary to perform a wisdom tooth extraction/wisdom tooth removal to minimize decay and infection due to the tooth being partly covered by gum or turned on its side.
The problems with having an impacted tooth are that it can cause tooth decay, jaw cysts, gum infection, pericoronitis and surprisingly even swelling of the lymph glands under the jaw. These can be painful and need to assessed and treated quickly.
How Long Does Wisdom Tooth Extraction Take?
Upper wisdom teeth can be removed more easily than lower wisdom teeth. We need to assess your teeth in order to advise on approximate times for wisdom tooth removal. As a general guide, wisdom tooth removal can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or so.
How Long Is Recovery After Wisdom Tooth Removal?
Considerations when removing wisdom teeth are; how many you need to be removed and how problematic they are. As a guide, normal recovering can take from 3 days to a week however, full recovery of the wound in your mouth could take months. It’s important to have scheduled dental appointments to ensure healing is progressing. We will discuss your dental schedule with you based on your personal circumstances.
Why Choose Hawthorn East Dental for Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
We ensure your experience with us is not just about the removal of your wisdom tooth or teeth. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible and have designed our dental clinic with you in mind. Our staff is aware that going to the dentist can cause anxiety and we guarantee you’ll be thrilled with our approach.
Combine our clinic design, our approach and our experience with removal or wisdom teeth and you’ll be glad you booked in with us. We believe we provide some of the best dentistry in Melbourne.
If your wisdom teeth are causing pain, book in with us today to discuss if we can assist them to come through or if wisdom tooth surgery is necessary.
