Risks Associated With Impacted Wisdom Teeth

28Oct/100

Risks Associated With Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Our third molars are our wisdom teeth and usually develop in people when they turn 18 to 25 years old. They are the last of our permanent adult teeth to grow. We can have up to four wisdom teeth, which can be found behind our second molars and in the upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right of our mouth. When aligned properly and fully developed, wisdom teeth are useful for chewing.

Problems arise when our wisdom teeth fail to fully mature or just come through in part because of the lack of room for its growth. This can also happen when the growth of our wisdom teeth are hindered by other teeth or in some cases when its position during development is not properly aligned with other teeth. These cases are called “impacted wisdom teeth.” You know you have it when you experience these impacted wisdom teeth symptoms like limited mouth movement, swelling and tenderness, pain, and bad breath or taste in the mouth.

Impacted wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean and in turn would likely amass a good number of plaque that would cause your teeth to form cavities. Cavities will cause your wisdom teeth to decay and can contaminate other teeth. Because impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean, bacteria are likely to gather and surround it. Consistent formation of bacteria can lead to periodontal disease or gum disease. Periodontal disease can seriously harm your gum tissue and the bone of your tooth. Discomfort can also be experienced because of the pain caused by impacted wisdom teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth that are poorly positioned may cause damage to one’s cheek tissue and are likely to intervene in jaw movements. The potential risks of impacted wisdom teeth should be considered when deciding whether to remove it or not.