Are You Ignoring Your Wisdom Teeth? Here’s What Could Happen

Posted by Dr. John Paul Gallardo, DDS, PA
Keeping your wisdom teeth can also increase your risk for gum disease.
Keeping your wisdom teeth can also increase your risk for gum disease.

Ignoring your wisdom teeth could lead to a variety of painful consequences. From infections and cavities to impacted teeth and damage to adjacent teeth, leaving your wisdom teeth untreated can have serious effects on your oral health. In this article, we’ll explore the risks of not taking action with your wisdom teeth and what you should do if you suspect an issue.

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the third molars located at the back of your mouth. They typically appear between the ages of 17 and 25, although some people may not have them appear until later in life. Wisdom teeth can be challenging to care for because of their location and size. If they become impacted or unable to erupt into the proper position, it can lead to a variety of problems, such as gum disease and infections. In this case, wisdom teeth removal by an oral surgeon is often necessary to preserve oral health.

When wisdom teeth don’t come through correctly, they can cause overcrowding in the mouth, which may cause other teeth to become misaligned or crooked. This can lead to gum disease due to bacteria buildup caused by food particles being trapped around the wisdom tooth area. Additionally, if left untreated, the wisdom tooth itself may become impacted and create an infection that requires antibiotics or more extensive treatment.

It’s important to speak with your dentist about any concerns you have regarding your wisdom teeth so you can develop an appropriate plan for treatment if necessary. Your dentist may even recommend that you visit an oral surgeon who specializes in wisdom teeth removal if they believe it is necessary for preserving your overall oral health.

What happens if you don’t remove your wisdom teeth?

If you’ve been ignoring your wisdom teeth and leaving them untreated, it’s time to take action. Without the removal of these teeth, a plethora of problems can arise. Here’s what could happen if you don’t remove your wisdom teeth:

Crowding of Other Teeth

If your wisdom teeth are left untreated, they can cause overcrowding of your other teeth. This can lead to severe pain and discomfort as the nearby teeth become impacted by the wisdom tooth. Additionally, if the wisdom tooth becomes infected, it can spread to nearby healthy teeth and cause further damage. Ignoring this issue can worsen the problem, so it is important to take action as soon as possible.

Pain & Discomfort

If you don’t take care of your wisdom teeth, you may experience pain and discomfort. The impacted wisdom tooth can cause a painful infection that may require antibiotics and regular use of an ice pack to reduce swelling and inflammation. If the infection is severe enough, it can cause a dry socket which is a condition where the blood clot that normally forms after a tooth extraction fails to form. This can be extremely uncomfortable and requires treatment with a special medicated dressing to help promote healing. Additionally, over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen may be necessary to manage the discomfort associated with these conditions.

Infection & Decay

Without proper treatment, wisdom teeth can lead to tooth decay, bacterial infection, and an increased risk of complications. These issues can quickly spread to the surrounding teeth and compromise your overall dental health. If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort from your wisdom teeth, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible in order to avoid further damage. An experienced oral surgeon may recommend removal in order to prevent further damage and restore optimal dental health.

Dental Damage

Without proper orthodontic treatment, wisdom teeth can cause permanent damage to adult teeth. Wisdom teeth can potentially push or crowd other adult teeth and force them out of place, especially if the individual does not have braces or other orthodontic treatments. This can lead to crooked and misaligned teeth that may require costly orthodontic treatment to correct. Additionally, leaving wisdom teeth unchecked can also increase the risk of cavities and decay due to bacteria buildup in hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

Jaw Cyst Formation (Odontogenic Keratocysts)

If your wisdom teeth are left untreated, it can cause jaw pain and even deterioration of the jaw bone. Ignoring your wisdom teeth can also lead to the formation of cysts in the jaw, known as odontogenic keratocysts. These cysts can damage surrounding teeth, bone, and tissue, which can be very painful and difficult to treat. Additionally, if the cyst becomes infected, it may require antibiotics or even surgery to remove it. To avoid this type of complication, it is important to seek treatment for your wisdom teeth as soon as possible.

Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease)

Gum infection, gum tissue damage, and dental issues can all be a result of not properly caring for your wisdom teeth. Gum infection can occur as a result of bacteria that is trapped around the affected area due to overcrowding or impacted teeth. This can lead to painful swelling and redness in the gum line, as well as bad breath and bleeding. Additionally, gum tissue damage can occur if the wisdom teeth are left untreated for too long, resulting in chronic inflammation and infection. Dental issues such as decay, cavities, and misalignment can also arise from ignoring your wisdom teeth, so it’s important to visit your dentist regularly to ensure your oral health is being properly maintained.

Bone Loss

If your wisdom teeth remain impacted or overcrowded, it can lead to crooked teeth as well as potential damage to the tooth roots. This is because the affected wisdom teeth will often push against the other teeth and cause them to become misaligned. Additionally, due to the pressure from the impacted wisdom tooth, the roots of your teeth may become weakened and prone to decay. If left untreated for too long, bone loss can occur, which can lead to further dental problems down the road. It’s important to seek treatment from an experienced oral surgeon in order to prevent any long-term damage or complications to your oral health.

The Best Treatment for Wisdom Teeth Issues

  1. Wisdom teeth extraction is often the best treatment for wisdom teeth issues, as it can prevent further dental damage and potential infection.
  2. It’s important to seek professional help from an experienced oral surgeon in order to minimize the risk of infection associated with wisdom tooth extraction.
  3. When considering wisdom tooth extraction, patients should be aware of any potential risks or complications that may arise from the procedure.
  4. Patients should make sure to keep up with regular dental check-ups in order to properly monitor their wisdom teeth and catch any issues early on before they become more serious.
  5. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort from your wisdom teeth, it is important to visit a dentist immediately in order to minimize the risk of further damage or infection.

What Is It Like Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

Knowing what to expect from wisdom teeth removal surgery can help you feel less anxious about the procedure.

First things first, while there’s some pain and swelling involved with wisdom teeth removal, it’s not really as bad as people might think. The procedure itself is usually performed under local anesthesia with mild sedation, although cases in which one or more molars are severely impacted may call for general anesthesia. This means that you will not feel any pain during the removal process.

If your wisdom teeth haven’t fully erupted, your oral surgeon will make a small incision in the gumline to extract the tooth and its connective tissues. Then, he will carefully close the area with dissolvable or removable stitches. The time it takes to remove wisdom teeth varies depending on the number of teeth and how impacted they are, but the surgery typically takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

A Decision You Will Not Regret

Having oral surgery is, admittedly, not a fun experience. But if your dentist has recommended having your wisdom teeth removed, it’s best to act sooner rather than later. Miami periodontist Dr. John Paul Gallardo performs wisdom teeth removal, as well as other oral surgery procedures, including gum disease treatment and implants. Click here to schedule an appointment with the periodontists at Gallardo Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, or call (305) 447-1447 to learn more about your options for wisdom tooth removal and Invisalign cost in Miami today.