Diagnosing Wisdom Teeth Problems Article

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Diagnosing Wisdom Teeth Problems

Wisdom teeth problems can damage your entire mouth and compromise your overall health.

Author: Paula Blackburn

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Wisdom teeth that grow into place fully and properly aligned may not cause problems, but most people do not have enough room in their mouths to accommodate wisdom teeth. When this is the case, the teeth may not fully erupt or they may be growing in the wrong direction.

Early Diagnosis
The best scenario is early diagnosis and removal of wisdom teeth, before problems arise. Regular dental exams with X-rays can reveal the presence of wisdom teeth long before they start to cause problems, and while they are still easy to remove. Ideally, wisdom teeth should be removed between the ages of 14 and 24.

As you grow older the roots develop further and the bone surrounding them becomes denser. As the teeth develop, they can cause progressive problems with your oral health.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that have not grown in properly. They may be partially erupted. They may be misaligned, pointing forward and putting pressure on your other teeth, pointing sideways, or blocked from eruption by part of the adjacent molar.
Over time untreated impacted wisdom teeth can cause serious problems with your oral health including:
• Shifting and crowding of teeth
• Bite problems
• Chronic headaches
• Gum disease
• Cavities
• Jaw bone loss
• Cysts or tumors around the wisdom teeth
• Abscessed wisdom teeth

Diagnosing Wisdom Teeth Problems
It is not uncommon for people with impacted wisdom teeth to seek treatment when the complications have caused pain or other problems. You may not even be aware that wisdom teeth problems are at the heart of your other dental problems. Dental X-rays are the primary tool for diagnosing wisdom tooth problems. They will detect the presence of wisdom teeth as well as their location and alignment. An experienced oral surgeon can make a more in-depth diagnosis regarding the severity of the problem, how extraction must be approached, and what you can expect during recovery.

Advanced wisdom teeth problems may require treatment beyond extracting the problematic teeth. If infection is already present, your oral surgeon may have you take a round of antibiotics to clear up the infection prior to surgery. Cysts and tumors may need to be removed. If gum disease has developed, it will need to be addressed.

About Author

You can learn more about wisdom teeth problems and solutions by visiting the website of oral and maxillofacial surgeon Daria Hamrah, serving patients in the Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area.

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