What Do You Do If Your Wisdom Tooth Is Impacted?

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Our dentists are pleased to provide wisdom teeth removal for our patients in Chicago, Illinois. As your last four teeth to come through (out of 32 permanent teeth) they sometimes have difficulty erupting just because there isn’t sufficient room to let them come through.

Should this occur, you are experiencing an impaction. Sometimes these impacted wisdom teeth display signs of impaction, including the following:

  • Headache
  • Swelling in the jaw or an aching jaw
  • Bad breath
  • An unpleasant taste in the mouth when you eat
  • Bleeding or swollen gums

If you experience these symptoms, chances are you will need to seek treatment for an impacted tooth. Your dentist will evaluate your condition and determine whether the tooth needs to be extracted. If your dentist finds that the tooth is stuck in the bone, they will make an incision into the gums and remove the tooth (or teeth) in sections. Doing it this way minimizes the amount of bone material removed.

Sometimes, however, an impacted tooth won’t display symptoms, which is why seeing your dentist for routine six-month checkups can spot the issue. Dental X-rays taken during your dental exams will detect an impacted wisdom tooth otherwise isn’t symptomatic. Leaving an impacted tooth untreated may result in tooth decay, gum disease, and having problems with your surrounding teeth.

If you suspect you might have an impacted tooth and want to schedule a visit with one of our dentists at Family Dental of Lincoln, please call 773-561-5106 today. Our goal is to help you have a healthy, vibrant smile!

 

Family Dental of Lincoln