The final teeth to come in are your wisdom teeth–the last back molars located on both sides of your mouth. For a lucky few, their wisdom teeth will come in without any problem, but for the majority of us, there will be some issues that will cause your dentist to want to remove them.
Some of the time, the wisdom tooth will only crest the surface of the gum and not fully emerge. This will cause pain and tenderness. The molar may not appear in the proper place within the mouth, or it will be crowding your other teeth risking pushing them out of alignment.
These cases are common, and your dentist will suggest removing the wisdom teeth so that your other teeth will have more area to adjust properly. It is much easier to do it while young because the roots will not have had time to fully develop and there will be fewer complications during surgery.
If impacted, the wisdom tooth is more firmly rooted to the jaw bone and must be extricated by breaking up the tooth into several sections and removed bit by bit.
You can expect some swelling and tenderness of the face and neck for a few days after the procedure is completed. The amount of swelling and the speed of healing is different for every patient, but medication will ease the pain of recovery.
Until fully recovered, you should step-up your normal daily practice of good oral hygiene. Constant rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash should help keep germs at bay and is a good suggestion.
If you’re between 16 and 19 and are experiencing tenderness in your rearmost teeth, you may be ready to have your wisdom teeth out. Dr. Stacey Eby would be happy to evaluate your situation. To make an appointment or to have your questions answered regarding wisdom teeth removal, please contact Eby Family Dental at: 920-563-2928, or drop by in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.