Impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth usually do not cause any trouble. During the course of eruption, they may put pressure on next tooth which in turn can put pressure to next tooth. This pressure can cause pain and can also lead to misalignment of teeth. If the teeth erupt in an unideal or sideways position, they can be a cause for many problems. Food debris and plaque may be trapped leading to gum inflammation, tenderness, and foul mouth odor. The trapping of food debris can lead to tooth decay of wisdom tooth of tooth next to it.
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause:
- Severe pain and irritation.
- Swollen gum tissue and redness around the impacted tooth.
- Tooth decay.
- Damage to the adjacent tooth.
- A cyst may develop in the jaw sometimes.
- Difficulty and reduced jaw opening.
- Pain and difficulty in chewing food.
- Swelling around jaw due to infection.
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth.
- Abscess and pus discharge in case of infection.
- Prolonged headache and jaw ache which can reach to ear and eye.
- Swollen lymph nodes of the neck.
Removal of the impacted wisdom tooth is the usual and preferred treatment.
