WISDOM TOOTH PAIN

Wisdom tooth pain can occur if there is not enough space for them to grow, if they are infected or decayed. All of these can contribute to dental pain and further complications, warranting the need to remove your wisdom tooth.

what are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to erupt in the mouth, they are also known as your third molars. In some people, wisdom teeth do not erupt at all, this may be due to limited space for these teeth to grow, or due to absence of these teeth entirely. In general we do not have much use of our wisdom teeth.

impacted wisdom teeth

Many people develop what we call ‘impacted wisdom teeth’. This is where the wisdom teeth grow at an angle due to limited space being available to erupt normally. In many cases, impacted wisdom teeth erupt partially and may look shorter than your other teeth.

issues with impacted wisdom teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause a number of problems which may warrant its extraction. These may include:

  • Dental pain

  • Food trapping in tight spaces between the impacted wisdom tooth and adjacent tooth

  • Tooth decay, commonly occurring beneath the gum line or the impacted wisdom tooth or the adjacent tooth

  • Poor oral hygiene and toothbrushing in hard-to-reach areas around the impacted wisdom tooth

  • Damage to nearby tooth

  • Orthodontic complications or lack or space

replacing a missing tooth

At Whitefield Dental, we offer several options to replace a missing tooth or gap. Our clinicians can discuss all the treatment options available to you and recommend which option is best suited to your needs. These options may include:

  • Dental implants - A gold standard long-term option of replacing a missing gap. Uses a grade 4 titanium screw which fuses into your bone providing a natural and seamless finish.

  • Dental bridge - a false tooth which is bridged/connected to a natural tooth to replace a missing gap.

  • Dentures - removable set of false teeth, made using acrylic or a metal framework suitable for replacing multiple gaps in the mouth

  • Your dentist will usually discuss the option of a tooth extraction as a last resort. We understand it may be a difficult decision to make, and will always offer you with treatment options to help replace any missing gaps

  • Dental extractions are done under local anaesthesia where the dentist will inject in and around the tooth and gums. This will allow for a pain-free procedure.

    Our clinicians are trained and committed to making your treatment as comfortable as possible. Please do not hesitate to voice any concerns with any of our clinicians during your appointment.

  • At Whitefield Dental, communication is everything. Please speak with our clinicians if you have any concerns regarding your treatment and would like to consider alternative routes to completing your treatment.

    This may involve dental sedation which helps a lot of our nervous patients. Click here to read more about how we care for nervous patients at Whitefield Dental

  • The local anaesthesia may take a couple of hours to wear off. If you are able to take painkillers, we recommend taking some before your anaesthesia wears off.

    Most people are able to back to their usual routine from the next day. For more complex surgical extractions, the recovery period may be a couple of days, especially if you have been given some stitches to help your gums heal.

    For your benefit and your gums, we always recommend going home and putting your feet up for the rest of the day.

    Our team will always be on call should you have any concerns or queries. We always follow up with a phone call the following day to see how you are doing.

  • The common complications involve:

    • Bleeding

    • Bruising

    • Swelling

    • Pain

    These are all normal symptoms to experience following a tooth extraction. Our clinicians will provide you with aftercare instructions to ensure you heal properly.

    In some cases, some patients may experience a dry socket. This is where the blood clot fails to develop or gets dislodged, causing pain and discomfort. If this is the case our clinicians can clean and treat the area to promote further healing of the area.

    The lower wisdom teeth may lie in close proximity to a nerve which runs across your lower jawbone. Our clinicians will take the appropriate x-rays to determine the proximity and your risk to nerve damage from a wisdom tooth removal.