Diagnosing Wisdom Teeth Problems

If you are having wisdom teeth problems, someone may have already told you that you need to have your wisdom teeth removed. However, the only person qualified for diagnosing wisdom teeth problems is a trained oral surgeon.

While most individuals may benefit from having their wisdom teeth removed, the fact that you have wisdom teeth does not mean that you must have them removed immediately. If you are suffering from a symptom of wisdom teeth problems, however, the need for extraction may be more immediate. Only a trained oral surgeon, like Dr. Hamrah, can tell you for certain how immediate the concerns are.

Delayed Extraction

For many people, wisdom teeth extraction can be delayed and for some it may not be necessary at all. However, most people do not have enough room in their mouths for their wisdom teeth. In rare cases, some individuals develop more than four wisdom teeth, a condition known as supernumerary teeth, or too many teeth.

However, even if you only have four wisdom teeth, you are likely to experience complications later in life because of the difficulty reaching wisdom teeth to adequately clean them. Many oral surgeons will recommend that you have your wisdom teeth extracted for this very reason, whether or not they are causing you difficulty right now. However, if this is the case, your extractions may be put off and scheduled at a time that is convenient for your recovery.

Immediate Extraction

In some cases, Dr. Hamrah may recommend immediate extraction of your wisdom teeth based on his diagnosis. This is usually the case if you have developed pericoronitis, or an infected gum flap over one of your protruding wisdom teeth. This condition is often very painful, and the discomfort will be alleviated as soon as the tooth is extracted and antibiotics are taken.

Other diagnoses which may require immediate wisdom teeth extraction may include impacted wisdom teeth; wisdom teeth which are coming in sideways and causing discomfort by pressing against neighboring molars or protruding against your cheeks or tongue.

If your wisdom teeth are not currently causing you discomfort, immediate extraction may not be necessary, but you should be aware that preventing future problems may require taking action now. If Dr. Hamrah recommends extracting your wisdom teeth based on his diagnosis, you should not prolong the extraction too much, as doing so may create problems for your mouth in the future.

You can learn more about diagnosing wisdom teeth problems by contacting Nova Surgicare, the office of Dr. Hamrah, which serves patients throughout Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the surrounding areas.