Wisdom Tooth Infected or Just Shifting?

Question

A couple of days ago I noticed some pain by one of my wisdom teeth (they have been exposed for the past two years). A day after I noticed it the pain got extremely bad. I have been in pain for the past two days since its the weekend and I haven't been able to call my dentist. The sharp pain has slowed down, however the left portion of my jaw is sore and the gum around the tooth is still swollen. Will the dentist be recommending surgery or will he place me on an antibiotic?

Answer 1

Dentists almost always recommend having your wisdom teeth removed, because of a few different reasons.

1. They are rarely exposed completely due to the lack of room in your mouth, and therefore will cause decomposition under the gum line.

2. Even if it seems to be growing in straight, it could cause problems and/or shifting with your other teeth, also due to the amount of space in your mouth. There is also a good chance the wisdom tooth could become impacted.

I have a feeling your problem is because of the decomposition, and you should probably have all of your wisdom teeth removed. It is much easier to have them taken out when you are younger, so don't wait too long!

Edit: It depends on whether or not they are already impacted. If they are growing relatively straight, there should be no problem in having them removed in one quick motion. If they are impacted, they are a little more difficult to remove if they have been growing in sideways for two years. I don't think it will be that bad, since you haven't even had any pain until now.