What Are Wisdom Teeth?

What are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the last molars on each side of the jaws. They are also the last teeth to emerge, or erupt, usually when a person is between 16 and 20.

Since wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come in, or erupt, there is often not enough room left in your mouth to accommodate them. This can lead to wisdom teeth that are impacted, teeth that are trapped beneath the gum tissue by other teeth or bone. If teeth are impacted, swelling and tenderness may occur.

Wisdom teeth that only partially emerge or come in crooked can also lead to painful crowding and disease. Since teeth removed before age 20 have less developed roots and fewer complications, the American Dental Association recommends that people between 16 and 19 have their wisdom teeth evaluated to see if they need to be removed.

How are Wisdom Teeth Removed?

A tooth extraction is a relatively routine procedure. Your dentist or a dental specialist, called an oral surgeon, will recommend either "going to sleep" using general anesthesia, or numbing this area in your mouth with a local anesthesia such as Novocain®.

After the tooth (or teeth) is removed, you may be asked to bite down softly on a piece of gauze for 30 to 45 minutes after you leave the office, to limit any bleeding that may occur. Some pain and swelling may occur but it will normally go away after a few days; however, you should call your dentist if you have prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding or fever.

Removal of wisdom teeth due to crowding or impaction should not affect your bite or oral health in the future.

Horizontal Impaction	Angular Impaction	Vertical Impaction

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Lim and Yabu  
Geraldine Lim, DDS & Eric Yabu, DDS   
4174 Park Boulevard, Suite A  
Oakland, CA 94602  
(510) 530-7000  
OaklandLaserDentist.com

Sinus Infection (Sinusitis): Causes of Sinus Tooth Pain

What is a Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)?

A sinus infection can create pressure and pain in the mouth and cause a sinus tooth pain. Specifically, this is due to pressure and pain in the maxillary sinuses located behind the cheek bones. Sinus tooth pain is often confused with other causes of tooth pain, including gum disease, tooth decay, or an impacted wisdom tooth.

What Causes Sinus Infections?

A sinus infection occurs when bacteria from the nose enter the sinuses. To help you assess whether you have a sinus tooth pain or a toothache caused by something else, take note of symptoms that occur in addition to pain around the upper teeth, eyes, or cheekbones.

Sinus Infection Symptoms

Any type of sinusitis, including maxillary sinusitis, can be chronic or acute. 

Symptoms of acute maxillary sinusitis include:

• Fever
• Stuffy nose and nasal discharge
• Bad breath
• Pain that is worse when sitting up than when lying down
• Tenderness, redness, or swelling in the cheekbones

Signs of chronic maxillary sinusitis include:

• Cough
• Persistent sinus toothache
• Pain that seems worse when you have a cold or allergic reaction

Don’t ignore signs of a persistent sinus toothache or tooth pain. Sinus infection when left untreated can lead to more serious infection, so be sure to see a doctor for sinus tooth pain to treat problems before they become severe.

Sinus Infection Side Effects

One of the possible side effects from a sinus infection is that you may start breathing through your mouth. Mouth breathing promotes a dry mouth, and a dry mouth can increase your risk of dental health problems. Saliva in the mouth helps digest food and wash away the bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gingivitis.

If you notice signs of dry mouth after sinus infection tooth pain, try the following:

• Use a fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse daily.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Try to breathe through your nose as much as possible.

Sinus Infection Tooth Pain

Sinus tooth pain is fairly common, according to dental experts at the Mayo Clinic. Sinus infection tooth pain occurs when the fluid that builds up in the sinus cavities during a sinus infection puts pressure on your upper teeth, which are close to the maxillary sinuses.If you have sinus tooth pain, you may need to see a doctor to manage your sinus condition.

Sinus infection tooth pain might occur suddenly and usually feels like a dull ache, like something pressing down on your teeth. Or you might notice tooth sensitivity when chewing. Sinus infection tooth pain also can occur if you don’t have a full-blown sinus infection. You might notice tooth pain similar to sinus infection tooth pain if you simply have a bad head cold and sinus congestion rather than a full-blown sinus infection.Some conditions that can cause pain in the upper teeth may be confused with sinus tooth pain. Even if you think your tooth pain is related to your sinuses and should be treated by a doctor, see a dentist to rule out dental problems including:

• Tooth Damage: A fractured or decayed tooth near the sinus cavity has similar symptoms to sinus tooth pain.
• Tooth Grinding: Tooth grinding (bruxism) can cause pain similar to sinus tooth pain.
• Gum Disease: The early stages of gum disease can also cause pain similar to sinus tooth pain.

Sinus Tooth Pain Relief

If your sinus tooth pain is caused by sinusitis, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or antihistamines. If it is caused by bruxism, your dentist may recommend wearing a nighttime mouth guard. Sinus tooth pain caused by tooth damage or tooth decay will need additional dental care, such as filling a cavity.

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Lim and Yabu  
Geraldine Lim, DDS & Eric Yabu, DDS   
4174 Park Boulevard, Suite A  
Oakland, CA 94602  
(510) 530-7000  
OaklandLaserDentist.com

Root Canals: FAQs About Treatment That Can Save Your Tooth

If you have a severely damaged, decaying tooth or a serious tooth infection (abscess), your dentist may recommend a root canal treatment. Root canals are used to repair and save your tooth instead of removing it. 

What’s Involved in Root Canal Repair?

The pulp is soft tissue inside your tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels and provides nourishment for your tooth. It can become infected if you have: 

• A deep cavity
• Repeated dental procedures that disturb this tissue
• A cracked or fractured tooth
• Injury to the tooth (even if there’s not a visible crack or chip)

If untreated, the tissues around the root of your tooth can become infected. When this happens, you will often feel pain and swelling and an abscess may form inside the tooth and/or in the bone around the end of the root of the tooth. An infection can also put you at risk of losing your tooth completely because bacteria can damage the bone that keeps your tooth connected to your jaw.

Can I Get This Treatment Done During My Regular Check-up Visit?

Your dentist will need to schedule a follow up appointment, or you may be referred to a dentist who specializes in the pulp and tissues surrounding the teeth. This specialist is known as an endodontist.

What Should I Expect?

A root canal treatment usually takes 1 or 2 office visits to complete. There is little to no pain because your dentist will use local anesthesia so you don’t feel the procedure. Once the procedure is complete, you should no longer feel the pain you felt before having it done. 

Before treatment begins, your dentist will:

• Take X-rays to get a clear view of your tooth and the surrounding bone. 
• Numb the area around and including your tooth so you are comfortable during the treatment. 
• Put a thin sheet of latex rubber over your tooth to keep it dry, clean and protected from viruses, bacteria and fungus that are normally in the mouth.

During treatment, your dentist will:

• Create an opening in the top of your tooth.
• Remove the tooth’s nerve from inside the tooth and in the areas in the root, known the root canal. 
• Clean inside the tooth and each root canal. Your dentist may treat the tooth with germ-killing medicine.
• Fill the root canals with a rubber-like material to seal them against future infection.
• Place a temporary filling on the tooth to protect it until a definitive restoration like a permanent filling or crown can be placed at the earliest opportunity.

After root canal treatment:

• Your tooth and the area around it may feel sensitive for a few days. You can talk with your dentist about how to relieve any discomfort you may have.
• Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics if the infection spread. Use as directed, and follow up with your dentist if you have any problems taking it.

You will need a follow-up visit after the root canal treatment. At this visit, your dentist will remove the temporary filling on the tooth and replace it with a regular filling or a crown to protect your tooth from further damage. A metal or plastic post may also be placed in the root canal to help make sure the filling materials remain in place. This helps support a crown if you need one.

How Long Will a Root Canal Filling Last?

With proper care, your restored tooth can last a lifetime. Make it a point to brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth once a day and see your dentist regularly to make sure your teeth are strong and healthy.

To read the entire article visit mouthhealthy.org

Lim and Yabu  
Geraldine Lim, DDS & Eric Yabu, DDS   
4174 Park Boulevard, Suite A  
Oakland, CA 94602  
(510) 530-7000  
OaklandLaserDentist.com