Wisdom Tooth Cyst: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Wisdom tooth cyst is a serious issue that requires thorough treatment. Cyst is a small sac filled with liquid that grows very slowly in or around the teeth. It’s easy to spot a cyst near a wisdom tooth, but it’s significantly harder to discover if it’s a cyst under a wisdom tooth.

Symptoms of a Wisdom Tooth Cyst

There’s a number of symptoms that can be an early sign of a cyst. Buried or impacted teeth are perfect for a cyst to start growing. They are also commonly found in or around teeth that have not properly grown. Cysts are often found in dead teeth, too. Dental cysts can start forming because of an improper procedure as well, but that’s less common.

So, to summarize, common wisdom tooth cyst symptoms include:

• sensitive teeth;
• loose or improperly grown teeth;
• gum swelling;
• numbness in a particular area of the gums.

Cyst around wisdom tooth is one of the most common issues. They’re usually found on the lower jaw and develop around the crown of an unerupted tooth. The pressure caused by an erupting tooth is one of the main causes of cysts near wisdom teeth. It’s easy to spot as the dentist doesn’t need an X-ray to discover it, and it’s rather easy to deal with - it’s surgically removed, but it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

Cysts behind wisdom teeth are mostly the same as cysts described above, but they can be harder to spot as they’re not clearly visible. The main issue with them is that they are hard to discover when they start growing. They become a real problem when they have grown, but since it’s a slow process, the patient may not know about it until it becomes apparent. That’s why regular check-ups are so important.

The cyst that requires special treatment is a cyst in wisdom tooth socket. It can be caused by the death of the pulp tissue inside the tooth. That usually is a result of an injury. It can also be a cause of impacted wisdom tooth. Impacted wisdom tooth cyst or a cyst under wisdom tooth might be hard to spot when they appear, but when they start growing the issue becomes very apparent - the pain intensifies, the gums begin to swell, chewing or biting causes extreme pain. To treat this kind of cyst, the dentist performs root canal treatment. If it doesn’t help, the tooth is usually removed.

Cyst after wisdom tooth removal appears if the root canal treatment wasn’t performed properly. That means that the infected area wasn’t cleared well enough. This doesn’t happen very often though, and it’s treated the same way - the root canal treatment is performed once again, and this time it should be properly done.

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with your dentist. While you wait, the pain might increase, so here are a few tips on how to reduce it:

• rinse your mouth with salt water or a disinfectant mouthwash;
• apply ice to your cheek in the area where it hurts the most;
• take over-the-counter painkillers.

Wisdom Tooth Cyst Treatment

The first tip is helpful if you have a visible cyst near the wisdom tooth. Small particles of food might increase the pain, so washing them away as thoroughly as you can can help. Applying ice is a good way to reduce swelling at home, just don’t apply it directly to the cyst as that would not be very pleasant. Taking painkillers can reduce pain, but make sure that you don’t have any contraindications. If a wisdom tooth cyst doesn’t cause you extreme pain, it’s better not to take painkillers. Remember, these tips are not for cyst treatment, they can help you ease the pain and reduce the swelling while you wait for an actual treatment in the doctor’s office.

This is everything you should know about a wisdom tooth cyst. There are various types of them, some of them are easier to spot and treat, like cyst near wisdom tooth, some of them are hard to discover and become a real issue when they’re fully grown, for example, a cyst under wisdom tooth. Remember that cyst can form even if you keep perfect oral hygiene, so regular check-ups with your dentist are very important. If you feel like you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, schedule a visit to your dentist at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions, contact us!