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Impacted wisdom tooth questions

  • 19-12-2015 1:12pm
    #1
    BlueFairy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86 ✭✭


    I have one impacted wisdom tooth on the top that's never given me trouble until recently (I'm 33, it's been slowly erupting out of the gum for years). Apparently the tooth is very high up and is growing slightly toward my cheek. I noticed that the gum close to it had swollen up and was vaguely painful. Went to the dentist who tells me it's an infection due to the impacted tooth, and she put me on antibiotics for a five days, which I'm just finishing up today. I've been doing saltwater rinses too. I am on a medication that suppresses my immune system, so sometimes it can make it difficult when fighting off an infection.

    Any associated pain has gone but the swelling has pretty much remained the same so I assume the infection is still there and I'll make another appointment to see her.

    I know if the issue doesn't go away that I'll have to get the tooth removed, but my question is whether this can be done by local anesthetic? I'm actually being assessed for sleep apnea, so I don't want to have to undergo surgery until that's been sorted out (which won't happen for a few months) and I certainly don't want to take that risk in a dentists office.

    I will talk to the dentist about it, but she's actually a new dentist to me and didn't inspire a lot of confidence just in her manner. I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice they could offer before I talk to her again.


Comments

  • #2
    Oral Surgeon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,240 ✭✭✭Oral Surgeon


    Upper wisdom teeth that are placed more toward the cheek often cause an ulcer in the cheek and that is pretty sore....

    It certainly can be removed under local anaesthetic....

    BlueFairy wrote: »
    I have one impacted wisdom tooth on the top that's never given me trouble until recently (I'm 33, it's been slowly erupting out of the gum for years). Apparently the tooth is very high up and is growing slightly toward my cheek. I noticed that the gum close to it had swollen up and was vaguely painful. Went to the dentist who tells me it's an infection due to the impacted tooth, and she put me on antibiotics for a five days, which I'm just finishing up today. I've been doing saltwater rinses too. I am on a medication that suppresses my immune system, so sometimes it can make it difficult when fighting off an infection.

    Any associated pain has gone but the swelling has pretty much remained the same so I assume the infection is still there and I'll make another appointment to see her.

    I know if the issue doesn't go away that I'll have to get the tooth removed, but my question is whether this can be done by local anesthetic? I'm actually being assessed for sleep apnea, so I don't want to have to undergo surgery until that's been sorted out (which won't happen for a few months) and I certainly don't want to take that risk in a dentists office.

    I will talk to the dentist about it, but she's actually a new dentist to me and didn't inspire a lot of confidence just in her manner. I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice they could offer before I talk to her again.


  • #3
    BlueFairy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86 ✭✭BlueFairy


    Thanks for your reply, that's good to know. I was under the impression that impacted teeth always need general anesthetic, glad to discover I was wrong! I've been reading the wisdom tooth removal thread and it made me feel a lot better.

    It's definitely not a cheek ulcer, the swelling is in the gum above the molar just in front of the impacted wisdom tooth. Which seems odd, but they're so close together.

    The dentist who I saw last week is unavailable until after the holidays, so I made an appointment with a different clinic for tomorrow. I will talk about everything with them and hope that they can offer some solutions :)

    Oral Surgeon wrote: »
    Upper wisdom teeth that are placed more toward the cheek often cause an ulcer in the cheek and that is pretty sore....

    It certainly can be removed under local anaesthetic....


  • #4
    BlueFairy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86 ✭✭BlueFairy


    So just to follow up, in case this ever helps anyone out!

    I visited a different dentist, who was far better than the first. She identified that the abscess is not from the impacted wisdom tooth, but from the tooth in front which seems to have decay under an old filling. She examined it closely, showed me the problems on the X-ray, and gave me options for treatment that we'll decide on in the new year. It will either be extraction or root canal depending on the wisdom tooth behind.

    In the mean time I have two antibiotics to take, and have to do lots of salty rinses, in order to get rid of the abscess first.

    I feel much better having spoken with her, and am just more confident in her advice. The first dentist seemed really uninterested and barely examined/spoke with me. It's so important to feel like you can trust your dentist and got properly looked after!


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