Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to grow in your mouth. They usually appear by the time you’re 25 — though for some people, they never appear at all. For most, there are two pairs of these teeth; with two of them found both at the top and the bottom. If there isn’t enough space in your mouth for them to emerge and develop regularly, they may stay below the gums and become impacted.

While you might not notice this at first, impacted wisdom teeth are prone to becoming problematic if left untreated. They can result in dental issues like prolonged pain and damage to other adjacent teeth. Plus, the fact that you can’t easily clean them means tooth decay and gum disease are likely scenarios.

Wisdom teeth removal is a dental surgical procedure, consisting of the extraction of one or multiple wisdom teeth.

Once you notice impacted wisdom teeth, your dentist in Zanesville will likely recommend removing them to prevent any further dental complications and pain in the future. If you ignore the problem and allow wisdom teeth to become infected, you may experience:

• Swollen gums
• Jaw pain and swelling
• Bad breath
• Unpleasant taste
• Bleeding gums

When you start feeling any of these symptoms near your wisdom teeth, you should contact your dentist right away. And even if the symptoms aren’t too much of an issue right now, regular dental checkups are important to maintain the proper growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth in the long run.

For instance, a dental X-ray could show you an impacted wisdom tooth before it ever develops into a more serious issue — allowing you to prevent problems in the future. Contact The Smile Shack for any questions about your wisdom teeth, and we’ll be happy to help you out!