Why do erupting wisdom teeth cause infections? (photo)

Doctor's Answers 1

All partially erupted teeth are covered by a gum flap called an operculum. This loose flap of gum creates a pocket around the crown of the erupting tooth that can trap food debris and bacteria.

As the tooth completes eruption into the mouth, the operculum moves downward to expose the complete crown of the tooth.

If the tooth does not complete an eruption, then the operculum remains unchanged. This tends to happen with wisdom teeth because of insufficient space within the jaw for the tooth to complete eruption.

If the operculum pocket is not thoroughly cleaned out, this can lead to inflammation of the gum called pericoronitis.

Acute pericoronitis usually presents with gum swelling, pain especially on chewing, jaw muscle tightness (with restricted mouth opening) and there may be pus discharging from the operculum. Pericoronitis can also be triggered by the opposing wisdom tooth biting on the operculum or a systemic infection elsewhere in the body (such as a cold or flu).

If the tooth does not complete an eruption, pericoronitis can recur in the same area. Definitive treatment is to remove the partially-erupted tooth. Coronectomy (removal of only the crown of the tooth) can be considered for cases at high risk for nerve damage.

Similar Questions

Is it recommended to remove 4 wisdom teeth at one go?

Thank you for your question. I get this question a lot and I am happy to give you my opinion. Firstly, as with any proposed treatment, your dentist should be aware of the indications, and contraindications. At my practice, it is not unusual to remove all the wisdom teeth at a go (when indicated) under Intra-venous sedation for guaranteed comfort during the procedure. For many of our patients, dental anxiety is a major concern and they have an option for them to be sedated. If you prefer not to be sedated, removing all wisdom teeth can also be done under local anesthesia.

Photo of Dr Gerald Tan

Answered By

Dr Gerald Tan

Dentist

Can an erupting wisdom tooth cause other teeth to shift and become shaky?

Thank you for your enquiry. We see this very commonly in many adults, who notice their lower teeth becoming more crooked or shifting especially in their early 20s. This is termed as late lower incisor crowding. The cause of this is unfortunately not as straight forward, and years of studies show that it could be due to many reasons. Here are some of the possible causes: 1) Erupting wisdom teeth pushing the lower teeth forward - however, there have been studies where patients with no wisdom teeth have also experienced this late crowding of the lower teeth.

Photo of Dr Geraldine Lee

Answered By

Dr Geraldine Lee

Orthodontist

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