The Risks With Pulling Out A Wisdom Tooth
Most of our teeth grow during our younger years, save for a few. The last three or four molars to come out are usually known as wisdom teeth since they come out much later. Wisdom teeth commonly make their appearance from ages 17 to 25, when people are older and much wiser.
For many the eruption of these last few teeth often causes a great deal of pain. The pain is often caused by the piercing of the teeth through the gums. In addition to this, there may also be a lack of space due to the presence of other teeth. The addition of new teeth may cause dental deformation, inflammation and other problems. As a result many people opt to have their wisdom teeth removed. Other than the usual pain and swelling afterwards, there may be bigger problems. For those considering this, here are the risks associated with the removal of wisdom teeth.
Infection. Since wisdom tooth removal involves dental surgery there may be a possibility of infections taking place. This commonly happens after the procedure when food particles enter the socket. As a result bacteria can grow causing abnormal inflammation, discharge, pain, fever and a bad taste. In more severe cases, bacteria from the infection may travel into the bloodstream and cause complications. Milder cases of infections may be controlled through antibiotics and may not require hospitalization.
Dry Socket. The most common risk also known as alveolar osteitis, this is a postoperative condition which involves the delay in the healing process. The condition comes about when the blood clot that forms after the removal of the tooth becomes dislodged. A dry socket may also occur when a blood clot fails to form. As a result the boney socket walls become exposed. A dull continuous throbbing pain may be felt from the jaw area moving up towards the ear. Aside from the discomfort, a foul odor may also be emitted. This condition often takes place three to five days after the removal of a wisdom tooth and commonly occurs in the lower jaw.
Numbness. It is normal to experience some numbness in the mouth and lip areas during any extraction process because of the anesthetic. However, when it comes to wisdom tooth extraction the numbness may last even after the anesthetic has worn out. This can be a result of injury to the nerves in the area during the tooth extraction. In more extreme cases a condition known as paresthesia can occur. The condition involves permanent facial numbness due to permanent nerve damage.
Sinus exposure. Roots of the upper wisdom teeth are closely located to the maxillary sinuses. In some rare cases the removal of wisdom teeth in this area results in an opening in the sinus area. The opening leads to a connection from mouth to sinus and may call for surgery in order to close it. A bad smell and or taste may develop while the sinus is exposed. There may also be increased mucus discharge. Blood may also pass from the mouth to the sinus cavity causing blood to be present in the nose.
Weakened or fractured jaw. Impacted teeth or those which are fused to the jaw bone may cause the jaws to weaken or break when removed. The use of excessive force, a firmly anchored tooth and other conditions can all cause the jaws to be fractured or injured.