When should I have my wisdom teeth examined or removed?

When do you have to have your wisdom teeth removed?  Well it depends upon how the teeth erupt and your symptoms.  If teeth have erupted fully and they can be cleaned around and there are no problems with the surrounding gums, they can remain without need of extraction.  If teeth are erupting crooked or coming in sideways they maybe candidates for removal.

Some of the symptoms that can indicate that there is a problem with your wisdom teeth include swelling of the gums, a dull ache, problems fully opening or pain with chewing.  The swelling can happen when food or debris work their way in between the gum and tooth.  Some wisdom teeth may not fully erupt out of the gum and can be hard to clean.

Some wisdom teeth are easily accessed and have small fused roots.  These can be removed with local anesthetics and minimal complications.  Other wisdom teeth can be impacted in the bone and require a more in depth surgery where sedation may be used.  At Martin Dentistry in Indianapolis and Fishers your doctors will take the time to consult with you regarding your wisdom teeth.

In the image, on the lower right, is an example of wisdom tooth that has erupted horizontally. The other three have erupted normally.   A panoramic image as shown, or a cone beam 3-D image is taken to fully view all the structures around the wisdom teeth.  Your doctor needs to know the location of the nerves and sinuses when evaluating