Tooth Pain Relief - In Your Local Area
Palo Alto Dentist
Appointments: (650) 566-0999
Rabindra Sahdev D.D.S.
Palo Alto Dentist
882C Emerson Street
Palo Alto, CA 94301
More Wisdom Teeth Dentists in the Palo Alto, CA Area Near You
Sturm, A Jack D.D.S.
1515 State St # 7
Santa Barbara, CA, 93101-2536
Plum, Todd G D.D.S.
29 Rotary Way
Vallejo, CA, 94591-8475
Doctor - Activate Your Free 1stWisdomTeeth Directory Listing
Hafez, Abeer A D.D.S.
1104 N Chinowth St
Visalia, CA, 93291-4113
Marcum, Lloyd D.D.S.
1129 Pacific St
San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3301
Impacted Wisdom Teeth Can Cause Tooth Pain and Dental Problems
Impacted wisdom teeth can be a serious threat to good dental health. Wisdom tooth impaction happens when the developing tooth doesn't come in straight.
An impacted wisdom tooth might never even erupt -- that is, break through the gums. If there is not enough room in the patient's mouth for the new molar, the tooth has no place to go, leading it to push against other teeth or tissues.
Impacted teeth can cause serious tooth pain, face or jaw pain, even headaches. They can lead to orthodontic problems, as other teeth move around to try to make room for them. Crooked teeth, in turn, leave a person more vulnerable to other dental problems.
Teeth impaction is classified either as a soft impaction (when the new tooth is still developing) or a bony impaction (when the developing tooth has begun to harden). Wisdom tooth removal is far easier when it is done earlier rather than later; bony impactions can sometimes require difficult wisdom tooth surgery.
During general dental check-ups, the dentist will monitor the development of a teen's wisdom teeth. If the teeth become impacted, the dentist will suggest wisdom tooth extraction. Patients in the most difficult situations will need to be referred to or to find a wisdom tooth dentist or oral surgeon who can perform their wisdom tooth surgery.
Only a dentist can determine the state of a patient's wisdom teeth. Have the teeth started to develop? Are they heading towards impaction? Are they already impacted? With the help of an x-ray, your wisdom teeth dentist will be able to answer those questions - and suggest a course of treatment.
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
Wisdom Tooth Development: Will They Fit in Your Mouth?
Wisdom tooth pain sometimes accompanies the development of these teeth, but not always. Some people's wisdom teeth fit comfortably in their mouths, while other people just don't have room for extra teeth.
Wisdom teeth are the third molars, and they are the last teeth to come in, usually during a person's late teens. Around this time, a dentist should do a dental exam and also take x-rays. The wisdom tooth dentist can then suggest the best course.
If the molars are coming in straight, there's room for them, and the patient is not experiencing any pain or discomfort, then the dentist will likely recommend a wait-and-see approach, conducting regular exams to ensure no problems are developing.
But if the teeth aren't coming in straight, if they're butting up against other teeth, if there's not enough space for them, if the patient is experiencing mouth or tooth pain -- then the dentist will suggest wisdom tooth removal.
Highly impacted teeth may require fairly intense wisdom tooth surgery. The older a person is, the more difficult this procedure will be, so it's not a good idea to postpone treating tooth impaction.
But wisdom tooth extraction can be relatively quick and easy for most other patients. In addition, some patients may not need all four teeth removed. Some people don't even develop all four molars.
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
