Some Facts About Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom Teeth
What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars, located at the very back of the mouth. They are called wisdom teeth because usually they come in between ages 17 and 21. Wisdom teeth that are healthy and in the right position usually don't cause problems. You may have a problem if any of the following occur:

• Your wisdom teeth break through your gums only partway because of a lack of space. This can cause a flap of gum tissue to grow over them. The flap can trap food and lead to a gum infection.
• They come in crooked or facing the wrong direction.
• Your jaw isn't large enough to give them room. Your wisdom teeth may get stuck (impacted) in your jaw and not be able to break through your gums.
• They are so far back in your mouth or crowded that you have trouble cleaning around them.

Symptoms: 
If your wisdom teeth are causing problems, you may have pain or jaw stiffness near an impacted tooth. Wisdom teeth may also crowd the other teeth. Sometimes, there could be tooth decay or gum disease if there isn't enough room to properly clean your wisdom tooth and nearby teeth.
Your dentist will check for signs of a wisdom tooth coming through your gum or crowding other teeth. You will have X-rays to find out if your wisdom teeth are causing problems now or are likely to cause problems in the future.

Treatment:
The dentist or surgeon will open the gum tissue over the tooth if needed and remove the tooth. If you have an infection, you may need to wait until it is gone before you have your wisdom teeth removed. The dentist or surgeon may prescribe antibiotics to help clear up the infection.

Extruded (Partially Dislodged) Tooth

When a tooth is partially loosened or dislodged from its socket, dentists call it an extruded tooth. As long as the nerve and blood vessels remain intact, an extruded tooth may be saved without root-canal treatment, depending on how displaced it is.
To save the tooth, you must see your dentist right away. Leave the tooth in your mouth even though it is partially out of the socket. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever or apply a cold pack or ice to relieve pain until you reach the dental office.
Your dentist will clean the area and try to reposition the tooth. He or she may use a plastic splint or orthodontic wire brackets to keep the tooth stable until it has a chance to heal.
If the nerves or blood vessels were damaged, your dentist may recommend root canal treatment to prevent the tooth from developing an abscess, which is an infection. The dentist will do a series of tests to determine if the nerve has been damaged. These tests also may have to be done at follow-up appointments because the tests may not be accurate right after the tooth is injured.

The tooth needs to be secured in its original position by connecting it to the healthy teeth on either side. There are three ways to do this:
•    Using a wire and bonding it with a composite resin material along the length of the wire
•    Bonding an orthodontic bracket to each tooth and then connecting these brackets (braces) with a wire
•    Using a synthetic cloth or metal mesh and bonding it to the back of the teeth involved
These materials will be left on for 7 to 10 days while the tooth heals in the socket.
It is critical to follow up with your dentist 7 to 10 days later. If the tooth's nerve or blood vessels were damaged, your dentist may want to do root canal treatment. Your dentist will test in the next weeks and months to see whether the nerve was damaged. These tests are not always reliable right after a tooth is injured.
If the dentist decides that root canal treatment is needed, you may need to have the tooth crowned (capped) after the root canal. In some cases, it may not be possible to save the tooth. In this case, it will have to be removed. Your dentist will help you decide the best way to restore the space created by the missing tooth.