Problem with an Infected Wisdom Tooth
Posted by writeradmin
I have a wisdom tooth that is infected. I went to see my dentist and he gave me some pain medicine and some antibiotics but told me that he doesn’t do wisdom teeth and referred me to an oral surgeon. I called them and the soonest they could get me in was going to be several weeks away. I didn’t feel like I had another choice so I scheduled the appointment and kept taking my meds. They did help. The pain went away. In fact, I thought I was healed and that I might not even need the appointment. But, I’m getting close to the time when the appointment should be and the pain is coming back. Does that mean the infection has come back? Are they going to make me wait again?
Samuel
Dear Samuel,
I’m glad you wrote. Technically, your infection never went away. It was just being held at bay by the antibiotics. There are only two ways to cure an infected tooth. Both involve removing the infected pulp. If it were a regular tooth, I would highly recommend a root canal treatment, because it would actually save your tooth.
If the tooth could not be saved, then you would need to extract it. Extracted teeth need to be replaced. If they aren’t, then the adjacent teeth would shift or tip into the empty space and throw off your bite. This can lead to TMJ Disorder, which can be very painful. If you ever do need a tooth replacement, a dental implant is the best option. The good news is that with a wisdom tooth you can do an extraction without replacing it.
I would call the specialist and let them know what is going on. It is ideal for the infection to be under control when you go in for your treatment. You can call them and tell them that the tooth infection is flaring back up. They can refill your antibiotics. It would be best if you could have enough to last you for a few days after your treatment so there is no chance of the infection flaring back up.
This blog is brought to you by Mt. Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.