Is surgery the only option for an impacted wisdom tooth?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have pain in my jaw and gum area with swelling on my left cheek. The dentist told me that my wisdom tooth is unable to come out for some reason, and hence, surgery is the only option.

The idea of surgery seems difficult to me. Kindly suggest what I should do.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your query and can understand your concern.

Although the clinical picture (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity) is a bit hazy, this could be an inflammation of the gums covering the wisdom tooth (pericoronitis). To confirm the diagnosis, you will need to take a dental panoramic X-ray to check the angulation of the wisdom tooth.

As for now, in order to relieve the pain, you can use an anti-inflammatory mouthwash like Benzydamine plus (Propylene glycol) or Chlorhexidine (Chlorhexidine gluconate, Sorbitan Diisostearate) antibacterial mouthwash to maintain good oral hygiene. It also prevents cavities and the need for dental fillings.

After confirming the cause, you might need to extract the wisdom tooth in the future, as this pain can be recurrent. Please follow up after five days of following the instructions.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.