Around age 17 to 25 years, your third molars or wisdom teeth appear. These are the teeth located in the back of your mouth. Sometimes your wisdom teeth come in with no problems. In other cases, they may come in crooked or be crowded by other teeth. In addition, there are cases in which these teeth come in OK but then become infected later on. If you notice certain signs and symptoms, talk to your dentist to see if your wisdom teeth need to come out.
Impacted Tooth
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons states that having your wisdom teeth removed as soon as mild symptoms or signs occur will help you to heal faster and will allow for a less complicated procedure. In some cases there may be no symptoms at all; however, your dentist may notice an impacted wisdom tooth on an x-ray. This means there is not enough space for the wisdom tooth to grow in properly. The tooth may come in sideways or get trapped in the gum. Your oral surgeon can remove the tooth at this point, before symptoms or complications develop.
Pain and Swelling
According to the American Dental Association, if the wisdom tooth is crowded and only erupts part way, there will be spaces in your gum where bacteria can gather and cause an infection. This can lead to pain and swelling, and your jaw may be stiff or difficult to move. In other cases, a wisdom tooth that is pushing through the gum may create fluid-filled pockets in the gums called cysts. These cysts can cause damage to surrounding teeth, the gums or the roots. If either of these situations occurs, you need to have your wisdom tooth removed to avoid serious infections and complications.
Additional Symptoms
The National Institutes of Health states that when a wisdom tooth becomes impacted, you may experience certain symptoms. This includes bad breath, tenderness in the gums or jaw, headaches and an unpleasant taste when eating. If you develop an infection, the lymph nodes in your neck may become swollen, and your gums may be red or begin to drain.
