Wisdom teeth are the last to appear, at the back of the mouth, from your late teens onwards. Most people have four but it is not unusual to have fewer, or even none. As they are the last teeth to form, sometimes when they come through there isn’t room for them, so they might emerge at an angle, pressing against the teeth in front or the bone behind.
Watching how your teeth and jaws grow is part of your regular dental care, which is why we aim to build a relationship with you over time. In your dental examination, we will take x-rays to see where your wisdom teeth are in your jaw and how much room there is for them to come through, and check whether they are causing any damage to the teeth in front of them. The x-rays will also show how viable it may be to take a wisdom tooth out.
As your wisdom teeth are coming through, the surrounding gum can become inflamed and sore. This is called pericoronitis, and it may settle down or come and go over a period. It is usually better to remove a wisdom tooth after the first instance of pericoronitis because it will often continue to cause you trouble.
We provide local anaesthetic, and you should be able to fit the procedure in with work or other commitments. If your wisdom teeth are particularly deep and difficult to access, however, lengthier oral surgery may be required.
Benefits of extracting a wisdom tooth
- Whatever pain has been bothering you will stop
- Further damage to your other teeth and gums from badly positioned or infected teeth will stop
- Your general oral health will benefit
WISDOM TOOTH FAQ’s
That depends on whether they are causing you any issues. Not everyone who has wisdom teeth needs to have them removed, and if there is no crowding or pain, then there’s no reason why you can’t leave them as they are.
However, because wisdom teeth come in after all of your other teeth, there is a higher risk of issues arising, such as impacted wisdom teeth or damage to other teeth due to crowding. If this is happening, then it’s likely that opting for wisdom teeth removal in Surrey will completely resolve any of these unpleasant issues.
Your wisdom teeth can come at any time during your adult years, but there is a range of signs that present themselves when they start to come through, including:
- Swollen and tender or painful gums at the back of the mouth
- Jaw pain
- Bleeding gums
- Restricted movement of the mouth and jaw
- A bad taste in the mouth
- Bad breath
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to seek the advice of your dentist who can determine whether you need wisdom teeth removal in Surrey.
The first thing to note is that wisdom teeth aren’t always painful, and for many, they can go almost unnoticed. However, in some cases, they can cause severe and intense pain in the mouth and jaw.
Many patients who are suffering from wisdom tooth pain report experiencing dull throbbing in the gums, which usually subsides when the tooth has broken through the gum. Regular painkillers can often help, or you may need some over-the-counter medication to relieve the pain whilst your wisdom tooth is coming through.
It’s important that you know however that if your pain is too much to handle, you can seek the assistance of your dentist who may be able to help by either removing the tooth or offering stronger pain relief.
