Signs It May Be Time to Remove Your Wisdom Teeth

While not everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed, it becomes a necessary step for many people. Waiting too long for an extraction can lead to more serious complications down the road. Jaw pain or stiffness, swollen gums, impaction, crowding, and persistent bad breath are all signs that your wisdom teeth may be causing trouble. It may also be challenging to clean the teeth, increasing your risk of infection. 

These signals are easy to brush off at first, but they rarely go away on their own. At Lafayette Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Group in Lafayette, IN, our team helps patients figure out whether wisdom tooth removal is the right next step. Call us today to schedule a consultation. 

What are wisdom teeth? 

Wisdom teeth are your third set of molars, usually appearing in your late teens or twenties. Most people get four, one in each back corner of the mouth. 

Unfortunately, there may not be enough space for them to grow in correctly. For example, an erupted tooth might break through the gum at a bad angle, or an impacted tooth can get trapped under the gumline. While some people never have problems with their wisdom teeth, they can cause ongoing pain and other dental issues. This is when wisdom tooth removal may be recommended. 

Signs your wisdom teeth should come out 

Not all wisdom teeth need to be removed, but some signs indicate it might be time for an extraction. Here’s what to look out for:  

• Jaw pain or stiffness: You might feel pain or tightness at the back of your jaw, especially after eating. 
• Swollen or tender gums: Inflammation can occur where a wisdom tooth is pushing through or pressing against the gums. 
• Crowded teeth: Your front teeth might start to shift or overlap because of pressure from your wisdom teeth pushing forward. 
• A hard-to-clean tooth: If an erupted tooth or impacted wisdom tooth comes in at an awkward angle, it can trap bacteria, making it prone to decay and infection. 
• Recurring bad taste or bad breath: This could be a sign of infection or bacteria building up around a wisdom tooth that you can't clean properly. 

What happens if you wait for surgery? 

Ignoring the above signs gives problems time to worsen. An impacted wisdom tooth can damage the roots of nearby teeth or lead to cysts in your jawbone. What starts as occasional jaw pain can become chronic and harder to manage at home. Crowded teeth will only get worse as the pressure builds. A simple extraction can become a more complicated procedure if you wait too long. 

How we perform wisdom tooth removal 

Wisdom tooth removal is one of the most common procedures our team performs, and it’s a lot less intimidating than you might think. We start with a detailed evaluation in Lafayette, IN, including x-rays, to see the exact position of each tooth and create a personalized plan. 

Most extractions are performed with local anesthesia, though we offer sedation for patients who want to feel more relaxed. The process of removing an impacted tooth deep in the jaw is a bit different from the removal of a fully erupted tooth, but our team will walk you through each step before your procedure. 

Take the first step to better oral health 

Wisdom teeth that are causing problems are not going to improve on their own. At Lafayette Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Group in Lafayette, IN, our team makes wisdom tooth removal as smooth and comfortable as possible. Whether you are dealing with jaw pain, crowded teeth, or an impacted wisdom tooth, call today to schedule your consultation.