Five Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Few oral health issues are as painful or disruptive to daily life as impacted wisdom teeth. Although the pain of impacted wisdom teeth is often enough to let you know that something is wrong, it's important that you identify the issue as soon as you can. Dr. Troy Gombert will detect impacted wisdom teeth by using a panelipse x-ray and these can usually be identified by his team before they start to cause serious pain. Dr. Gombert has been helping patients in the Phoenix, AZ area with this process for years.  If you have impacted wisdom teeth, you'll start noticing the following symptoms if you allow the condition to develop.

Throbbing pain in the back of the mouth

When wisdom teeth are impacted, it causes a lot of pain, especially as the condition gets worse. You might notice pain radiating from the back of the mouth, focused on the area around the wisdom teeth and other molars. This pain gets worse as the surrounding teeth become affected.

Swollen, tender and bleeding gums

Impacted wisdom teeth can also cause serious gum issues. Gums may become swollen and tender to the touch and might also start to bleed when pressure is applied. This can make flossing and brushing both painful and difficult. If you notice your gums become swollen and tender, it might be impacted wisdom teeth, but could also be another form of gum disease.

Swelling around the jaw

Impacted wisdom teeth are frequently accompanied by swelling of the gums and jaw. It can be subtle at first but worsen to the point where it is painful or difficult to open your mouth.

Swollen glands in the shoulder and neck

Impacted wisdom teeth are often accompanied by swollen glands in the shoulder and neck. This combined with other symptoms is a sure sign that you might be experiencing impacted wisdom teeth and need to speak to your doctor right away.

Headaches

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause headaches of the Temporomandibular joint, which connects the jaw and skull. This pain may extend to other areas of the head and face.

Complications caused by impacted teeth

• Impacted wisdom teeth can push on the teeth around them, causing infection or forcing teeth out of place.
• Impacted wisdom teeth are prone to infection and decay. This can cause serious issues in the mouth, as the back gums are already difficult to clean. This results in food and bacteria become trapped and can lead to further gum disease and tooth decay.
• Wisdom teeth grow within a sac that is located in the interior jaw. These sacs can fill with fluid when wisdom teeth are impacted, leading to cysts that can damage nerves, cause pain and cause damage to adjacent teeth.

If you are looking to get more information on wisdom teeth and how Dr. Gombert has been creating whiter, pain-free smiles in the greater Phoenix area, fill out our form below!