wisdom teeth??

Question

i have all 4 wisdom teeth emerging, the top 2 are through but the bottom 2 have been trying to come through for about 6-7 years which is much longer than the top 2, and they are still only peeping through. My dentist doesnt seem to want to do anything about it, although i hav a bad smell coming from the gum and i keep getting really painful infections. I read that this means they are impacted?? what should i do?

Answer 1

I had my bottom right wisdom tooth removed a couple of months ago, and it was DEFINITELY worth it. Anyone who has had an abscess (I had this 3 times) will tell you how painful and annoying it is, especially when you cant eat or even sleep at night.
My dentist booked me a hospital appointment, but if yours seems unwilling you may have better results contacting the hospital directly.
I had to wait a couple of months (during this time I had to use anti-biotics a few times) for the appointment. My experience wasn't as bad as the girls above.

They offer you a general anaesthetic or another one that makes you really groggy. I chose the general one, where they make a few injections in your gums which doesn't really hurt that much.

After that its down to business, it took 5-10 minutes to get my tooth out, it will be uncomfortable but only mentally as you wont feel any pain at all - just lots of pressure. Sometimes they may have to cut it out but even this isn't as bad as it sounds. The honest truth is that when they stopped I didn't think my tooth was out yet as I was expecting something akin to a torture scene in the film 'hostel' but it was far from being unbearable.

The healing process didn't take that long either, they put some disolveable stitches in and told me to gargle salt water fairly often and especially after eating.

If your tooth is really that painful then its worth 15 minutes of discomfort rather then constantly having pain and swelling all the time. Keep on and on to your dentist about the pain and discomfort and ask about having the tooth removed.

Answer 2

Actually... an impacted wisdom tooth means it is still under the gums. I have two impacted and two that are out of the gums. However, if you are in pain and having trouble and your dentist doesn't want to do anything about it... get a second opinion! In all actuality it is usually best to get wisdom teeth removed anyway. If they come in when you are done growing it can sometimes cause trouble with the rest of your teeth because it pushes on them and makes them slide.

Really all the arguments don't matter. If you are in pain then your dentist should do something about it... and you don't need them anyway. Make him take 'em out. Best pay a few days of pain rather than gosh knows how long.

Answer 3

It just means that food is getting caught in the gum where the teeth are poking through. I had this too and my dentist wouldn't take the tooth out.

What I have done is repeatedly push the gum away from the tooth with my tongue. I know it sounds stupid - but after years of doing this, I was able to brush the tooth and even get under the skin with my toothbrush. My dentist said that as long as it's kept clean it should be fine, no need to pull it out.

Maybe your dentist can cut the gum away from the tooth. I know it's really painful when it gets infected. And over time it could rot the tooth away.

Why don't you go in to the dentist when it is infected so that he/she can see what you mean and offer a new suggestion.

Answer 4

Bad smell can mean infection in gums you may need a good scale and polish followed by a course of anti biotics to remove the infection. The fact that the teeth are partially through makes me think that things are ok as any infection can come out. If you have no other pain in the area due to impaction then leave them. If they have to come out then you should be going to dental hospital as it considered an operaion these days. As others mention you should perhaps get a second oppinion as there are some really rubbish dentists around.

Answer 5

Go to another dentist. Wisdom teeth should be taken out because they cause a lot of pain and get impacted (when they don't grow all the way through the gum). This sucks, I had impacted wisdom teeth, and had them pulled. It wasn't a big deal at all. I'd say if your dentist isn't making preparations to pull them for you, go elsewhere. You could have or be getting an infection.

Answer 6

For a start change your dentist. he sounds lazy. I have had a wisdom tooth partly through for while, and the wisdom tooth its self never bothered me. However, it was encroaching on another tooth, which started to snap and rot. I went to the dentist and he told me he could "save the tooth"( the bad one) and there was no need to take it out, regardless to me telling him I was in alot of pain. Needless to say, I got a massive infection in the tooth, and had to go on a course of antibiotics. If he had just taken the tooth out in the first place, i wouldn't of had this problem. Also, I know from members of my family that some wisdom teeth just don't come through at all. so you could have this trouble for ever. If possible, change your dentist and get a second opinion, because they CAN be wrong. (",)

Answer 7

I had the same problem for a while. You gum has pressure pain at times and is very annoying. Your dentist can't remove them you need to see a tooth surgeon to do it for you, because it needs to be cut from your jaw. It sounds more creepy than it is. I had it done for my right upper and lower wisdom tooth and they did a good job there. I now don't have any problems whatsoever there anymore, which is quite a relief.

Answer 8

Ask to be referred to your local hospital asap. I had the same problems when my wisdom teeth tried to peep through. Many courses of antibiotics for sore infections is not a good idea.
I eventually had mine removed (the most horrendous experience of my life, sorry) after 9 months on a waiting list. If I had waited for a general anaesthetic it would've been 18 months.
You don't want to leave it as the new teeth may be pushing on your existing teeth, ending up with a squinty smile.

Answer 9

I also have 4 wisdom teeth for over 10 years now and have numerous problems with mine .. My dentist is all for removing them he said he could remove them at the surgery or if more complicated it would involve a hospital visit but i keep delaying it due to moving commitments .

I would advise you to tell your dentist you want them removing and if he still won't i would think seriously about changing your dentists.

Answer 10

go and see another dentist, it sounds like they need removing. 6-7 years for them to come through??? that does not sound right, i had all mine though in less than a year.

definitely go and get a second opinion, your dentist just might not want to do the work.