If you’re like 80 percent of Americans, you’ll develop problems with your wisdom teeth at some point in your life. Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars located at the very back of your mouth, where they can create havoc—from crowding your other teeth to creating painful, inflamed, and often infected, flaps in your gum.
Here’s some wisdom on wisdom teeth. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons typically recommends pre-emptive wisdom teeth removal in young adulthood, before symptoms arise, when roots haven’t yet fully formed and surgical risks are lowest.
5 Symptoms to Never Ignore
If you do wait until symptoms arise, here are five red flags that it’s time to call Oral & Facial Surgeons of Arizona to schedule a consultation with one of our oral surgeons to discuss wisdom teeth removal:
- Pain or jaw stiffness near an impacted tooth (one that is either stuck under the gum or only able to partially break through the gum).
- Pain or irritation from a wisdom tooth coming in at an awkward angle and pressing against the nearby tooth or rubbing against your cheek, tongue or top or bottom of your mouth.
- An infected swelling in the flap of gum tissue that covers an impacted wisdom tooth that has only partially broken through the gum.
- Your teeth are becoming more crowded.
- You’ve developed tooth decay or gum disease because there isn’t enough room to properly care for the wisdom tooth and surrounding teeth.
Experts You Can Trust
Unlike a general dentist who rarely performs wisdom teeth removal, our oral surgeons frequently perform the procedure, giving them the expertise you can count on for the highest level of care and comfort. In addition, our office is equipped with your comfort and relaxation in mind. A variety of sedative options are available, but typically patients have their wisdom teeth removed under a local or general anesthetic or nitrous oxide.