What to do if the wisdom tooth breaks?
If a tooth breaks off, the type of fracture is very much dependent on what happens to the tooth later on. The same rules apply to all teeth. However, the decision to remove the wisdom tooth may be easier in some cases than with other teeth, as long as it does not, for example, contribute significantly to the retention of a prosthesis.
Apart from this, a tooth must be removed if its crown and root are deeply broken apart. In this case, the tooth cannot be saved because many germs have infected the entire tooth through the fracture gap. If only one corner of the wisdom tooth has broken off without damaging the nerve, the tooth can be rebuilt with, for example, a plastic filling.
If the nerve is opened, i.e. if the broken-off part is large enough to reveal the nerve, the doctor decides on the further procedure depending on the size of the opening. If the opening is small, the tooth can also be rebuilt. If the opening is somewhat larger, the condition of the root still depends on whether a normal root canal treatment is performed, i.e. the nerve is completely removed and the tooth is filled or whether further measures are necessary to preserve the tooth.
Wisdom tooth causes jaw pain
Jaw pains are often caused by wisdom teeth. The attachment of the wisdom teeth can be seen from about the age of seven. From then on the enamel is formed and gradually the root also grows until the growth is usually completed by the age of 25.
During growth, the massive bone must give way to the developing tooth. A pressure pain can spread to the entire jaw. In the lower jaw, the wisdom tooth lies close to the “jaw angle”, i.e. very central in the bone.
In the upper jaw, the pain can extend into the temple, or the wisdom tooth can also cause headaches here. In addition, bite pains can occur if the wisdom tooth does not grow straight out of the gum, but its axis is directed towards the last molar. The pressure on the last tooth can not only cause pain but also damage it.
Wisdom tooth causes bad breath
If bad breath is caused by a wisdom tooth and a rotten, bad taste comes from the tooth, it can be assumed that the tooth has a deep caries and an inflammation of the nerve is present. An abscess can also form, i.e. an accumulation of pus around the tooth. The bacteria that cause an abscess, as well as the bacteria that decompose the nerve when the nerve is inflamed and usually cause throbbing, pressing pain, form gases.
These gases contain sulphurous compounds that smell and taste like rotten eggs. In this case, it is essential to consult a dentist, who will find out the exact cause and location of the formation of the gases and treat and thus eliminate them. If an abscess is left in place, apart from causing severe pain, it can spread and have serious consequences.
Even an inflamed tooth, which gives off a bad smell and taste, should be treated immediately. If the cause is the nerve and the caries has not advanced so far that it is no longer worth saving the tooth, a root canal treatment is normally carried out. In the case of wisdom teeth, however, one should weigh up the benefits of the tooth and the cost of restoration.
