DENTAL STUDENTS - urgent help on wisdom tooth

I have been having a lot of problems with my teeth. My wisdom tooth did not grow properly and has grown at the wrong angle. I joined a new practice today and they have said that I have got an infection in the gum. They have prescribed me antibiotics but I am very worried because this is not sorting out the cause of the pain and from my point of view, I am worried that the infection will keep on happening again and again to the point where the tooth has to be extracted. If this does happen what are my options - i know that I can get an implant but is there anything else. I guess what I want to know is that is it possible for just the antibiotics to treat this infection and then for it never to return again or will it be (as i suspect) a recurring case of infection after infection. All the dentist has done is prescribe me antibiotics and has not requested a review appointment.

Reply 1

Stopford

I'm not a dental student (but a prospective one) and someone had this problem during my work shadowing placement.

The dentist said it takes around 7 days for antibiotics to work, so in the meantime you should take painkillers such as Nurofen (this is the one he recommended most of the time) for pain. If the tooth is piercing the gum and causing you to bleed, rinse your mouth with luke warm saly walter to help the healing process.

Sorry I don't know anything about whether you'll need implants or any other forms of restorative treatment. Because it's the wisdom tooth which is located right at the back and has no significant purpose towards function, the dentist might feel that it would not be beneficial to replace the missing tooth with say an implant following extraction.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2

BackDoorEntry

Original post by elsa10

I have been having a lot of problems with my teeth. My wisdom tooth did not grow properly and has grown at the wrong angle. I joined a new practice today and they have said that I have got an infection in the gum. They have prescribed me antibiotics but I am very worried because this is not sorting out the cause of the pain and from my point of view, I am worried that the infection will keep on happening again and again to the point where the tooth has to be extracted. If this does happen what are my options - i know that I can get an implant but is there anything else. I guess what I want to know is that is it possible for just the antibiotics to treat this infection and then for it never to return again or will it be (as i suspect) a recurring case of infection after infection. All the dentist has done is prescribe me antibiotics and has not requested a review appointment.

I've had problems with my wisdom tooth not too long ago. Not even the strongest painkillers worked very well for me.

The antibiotics will certainly get rid of the immediate pains and infection, and you'll return to normal. If you can manage to keep the wisdom tooth area clean, then you won't have any more problems. But if the area is too difficult to clean and you get recurring infections, request an x-ray and possibly advice on an extraction.

Is it an upper or lower wisdom tooth?

Reply 3

fuzzycloud

1

Sounds like pericoronitis. It's common enough when wisdom teeth don't come through at the correct angle. This thread is a week old - did the antibiotics help?

The only way to tell if the infection will keep recurring is time. The tooth may 'disimpact' and grow through correctly. If not, you'll probably have it extracted. Visit your dentist regularly so they can keep an eye on it.

As for your options after extraction, the best thing to do is nothing. It's fairly common to have wisdom teeth removed, and you can get by fine without them.

Reply 4

elsa10

OP

7

Original post by fuzzycloud

Sounds like pericoronitis. It's common enough when wisdom teeth don't come through at the correct angle. This thread is a week old - did the antibiotics help?

The only way to tell if the infection will keep recurring is time. The tooth may 'disimpact' and grow through correctly. If not, you'll probably have it extracted. Visit your dentist regularly so they can keep an eye on it.

As for your options after extraction, the best thing to do is nothing. It's fairly common to have wisdom teeth removed, and you can get by fine without them.

he gave me a course of erythromycin 500mg tds x5days. This didn't work and the pain was still severe so he issued me the exact same prescristion on tuesday just gone. The pain has mostly gone but occasionally i can feel it then and now - i've still got a day of tablets left. he said if the pain doesn't go i will have to go to the hospital to get it extracted. The thing that worries me about this is that i already have an extraction of a molar on that side so instead of having 3 molars, i will only have one. do people normally get implants where they have 2/3 molars missing?

Reply 5

fuzzycloud

1

Not commonly. Implants aren't given readily on the NHS, and privately you'd have to pay through the nose to get them. It totally depends on the case though.

Are these upper or lower teeth? And why did you have the other molar extracted?

Also, what's the pain like? Sharp, dull, constant, intermittent? Does is feel like it's in the gum or the tooth?

Reply 6

elsa10

OP

7

Original post by fuzzycloud

Not commonly. Implants aren't given readily on the NHS, and privately you'd have to pay through the nose to get them. It totally depends on the case though.

Are these upper or lower teeth? And why did you have the other molar extracted?

Also, what's the pain like? Sharp, dull, constant, intermittent? Does is feel like it's in the gum or the tooth?

It was very very sharp before I started the antibiotics 2 weeks ago. I have finished the course and the pain is now dull and intermittent. It is the lower right side and the other molar was extracted about 10 years ago when it snapped in half. I also wear a retainer at night and this stops at the tooth before the wisdom tooth so I think my retainer is also to blame for the impacted growth of the wisdom tooth. I don't really know what anyone can do about the retainer because I no longer see my orthodontist and the edge of the retainer completely covers that molar and there is a small gap between that molar and the wisdom. I'm scared of going back to the dentist about this now because he said the next time I come in with this same problem it will have to go, which I really dont want. Would a course of something like metronidazole help now?

Reply 7

fuzzycloud

1

Original post by elsa10

It was very very sharp before I started the antibiotics 2 weeks ago. I have finished the course and the pain is now dull and intermittent. It is the lower right side and the other molar was extracted about 10 years ago when it snapped in half. I also wear a retainer at night and this stops at the tooth before the wisdom tooth so I think my retainer is also to blame for the impacted growth of the wisdom tooth. I don't really know what anyone can do about the retainer because I no longer see my orthodontist and the edge of the retainer completely covers that molar and there is a small gap between that molar and the wisdom. I'm scared of going back to the dentist about this now because he said the next time I come in with this same problem it will have to go, which I really dont want. Would a course of something like metronidazole help now?

Potentially, but after two courses of erythromycin I'd agree that the tooth should come out. The problem with impacted wisdom teeth is they can be very difficult to keep clean, so bacteria build up rapidly and cause repeated infection. Also, they are more likely to decay, requiring extraction anyway.

Go back and see your dentist and ask him these questions. He knows the history and clinical presentation much better than we do. Remember, he can't take the tooth out without your permission! Explain that you're worried about only having one molar and ask what he would do about it if the wisdom tooth came out.

Regarding your retainer, you're best to keep it as long as you can. It probably isn't related to the impacted wisdom tooth. If you're having doubts about it, your dentist can advise you on that too.

Did he take X-rays of the impacted tooth? And can I ask why/how the other molar snapped?

Reply 8

Magnanimity

14

Erythromycin is a strange choice.

Reply 9

denture1

Time for that tooth to go. Dont worry about replacing it, we dont replace 8's, if its a lower the upper will probably have to go but they may leave it but in time it will over erupt if not in occlusion, not really an issue in the short term.

Reply 10

*Dreamer*

17

hey guys

Basically, went to the dentists today (after 4 years - stupid, I know) and I have 2 horizontally impacted wisdom teeth - both lower. The one on the left is much more horizontal and not as close to the nerve, whereas the one on the right is literally on the nerve (although xrays are 2D so it may give a different impression to how the tooth is really orientated). I dont really fancy having teeth pulled out but I can see the problem i.e. food getting trapped etc....what would you guys suggest...?

what are the consequences of leaving them in? if i get them removed, what are the dangers? It sucks cos I've always had pretty good teeth and know ive been hit with this double whammy.

Thanks guys :colondollar:

DENTAL STUDENTS - urgent help on wisdom tooth

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