Cavity in the wisdom tooth, extraction review

Wisdom teeth located deep inside and difficult to manage, if they develop cavities, should they be treated or extracted?

 

On November 2, 2023, I visited the dentist due to a toothache and discovered a cavity in my wisdom tooth.

 

 

This is a case where I had orthodontic treatment, and despite both of my upper wisdom teeth erupting normally, I developed cavities.

 

The doctor said that when a wisdom tooth develops a cavity, it is better to assess the situation and decide rather than automatically extracting it.

 

By assessing the severity of the cavity, if the decay is not severe, it is possible to fill the cavity with a restorative material after removing the decay. There are also inexpensive materials covered by insurance, which would not impose a significant burden on the patient.

 

However, since wisdom teeth emerge at the very back of the mouth, they are difficult to manage, and even if cavities are treated, there is a high likelihood of cavities recurring in the future.

 

Additionally, if cavities are left untreated without treatment or extraction, the neighboring teeth may also develop cavities, which can negatively affect overall dental health. Therefore, cavities must be treated immediately upon discovery.

 

So, I chose to have my wisdom tooth extracted instead of treatment.

In my case, since I had four teeth extracted during orthodontic treatment, the gum space was wide, and the wisdom tooth had erupted naturally and beautifully like the other teeth.

 

Therefore, after more than 10 minutes of anesthesia with anesthetic cream and injection, the extraction took approximately 1 minute.

 

From the photo, you can see the appearance of a cavity. I did not cut the gum, so I did not suture, and I held gauze in my mouth for an hour and a half to apply heat.

 

 

After wisdom tooth extraction, an X-ray was taken to confirm that the root was properly removed.

 

And the next day, I revisited the dentist for sterilization.

 

Today, 12 days later, my current condition is that when I try to move my upper and lower teeth with a clicking sound, there is still some pain around the teeth near the extracted wisdom tooth, indicating that it may not have fully healed yet.

 

Since the wisdom tooth root is quite deep, it seems to be in the recovery process, and about a month after extraction, it should return completely to normal.

 

The earlier cavities are detected, the easier they are to treat, so if you're experiencing tooth pain, please consider visiting the dentist!!

 

Making a payment at the counter

 

I found out that there is separate dental insurance. I am currently enrolled in a personal indemnity insurance with a 5,000 won copayment, so I thought dental expenses were covered under this and requested a receipt. However, I was told that dental expenses are not covered by the indemnity insurance and that there is a separate dental insurance.

 

For those interested in dental insurance, I think it would be good to look into it, so I am attaching a photo.

May everyone reading this be healthy 🍀