When your wisdom teeth come in during early adulthood, you may be considering leaving them be instead of having them surgically removed. Wisdom teeth can actually cause a handful of problems if left in your mouth, especially if the teeth are impacted, meaning they are growing sideways and will eventually grow into other teeth in your mouth. Consider having your wisdom teeth removed to avoid these potential problems.
Pericoronitis
The inflammation of your gums that surround your impacted wisdom teeth is known as pericoronitis. This problem is common with impacted wisdom teeth because you have a thin layer of gum over the crown of your tooth. While pericoronitis is a problem caused by bacteria, it will continue to reoccur even if you make sure to clean the area well.
Gum Disease
Wisdom teeth will be very difficult to clean if not removed, which is why they are known for causing a higher risk of gum disease. Teeth need to be properly brushed and flossed, and this is sometimes not possible when the tooth is so far back in your jaw. When the wisdom teeth are partially impacted, it can be even more difficult to properly clean your teeth.
Cysts
Your jawbone might develop a cyst from your impacted wisdom teeth, which will cause jawbone structure damage. The cyst is actually a sac or pouch that will form underneath your gums or inside the jawbone. They are not painful early on, and are usually caught by a dental X-ray. Once the cyst becomes larger, pain can occur.
Root Resorption
A wisdom tooth that is impacted can cause damage to the adjacent teeth known as root resorption. This happens when the root of your tooth becomes damaged, possibly destroying the entire root structure of the tooth.
Root Resorption happens when a wisdom tooth physically pushes into an adjacent tooth. Plaque can get into the surrounding tooth roots, which causes severe inflammation of your gum tissue.
Additional Complications
While those are the 4 big problems that can happen by keeping your impacted wisdom teeth, there are additional complications that may happen. This includes:
If you are concerned about having any of these potential complications from keeping your wisdom teeth, meet with your dentist, such as New Image Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, for a consultation to see how you can have them removed. The procedure is simple, and thanks to anesthesia, you will not remember a thing from it.
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