Wisdom Teeth

Not all people have enough space in their mouths for third molars (wisdom teeth) to erupt. It is a good idea to seek your dentist’s opinion as early as possible once you find that your 3rd molars have started to erupt. Not all 3rd molars will cause problems.

The most common problem you might have is bacterial growth in these areas due to lack of oral hygiene around the partially erupted molars. Food can get trapped underneath the flap of skin covering the tooth which could cause soft tissue infection if not cleaned properly. In some cases the infections are so advanced that abscesses will form around these partially erupted molars and it can cause a lot of swelling and pain. Antibiotic treatment can sometimes be necessary to clear these infections. If your wisdom teeth cause recurrent infection, it will be wise to seek advice to have these teeth extracted. Your dentist might feel comfortable to do these extractions in the dental practice, or they might feel it necessary to refer you to your local hospital where the wisdom teeth will be removed by an oral surgeon.