How do I know if a wisdom tooth is coming in wrong?

[TheMadgician]

My last wisdom tooth on the top right side is starting to come in finally. I can feel it poking through. I imagine there's going to be a little pain as it breaks through the gums, but it's getting pretty sore. It hurts to open my mouth all the way, and a tiny little bit of cheek near where it's coming in feels irritated.

Is this normal? Or is this something I should get checked out?

[Implode]

it's getting pretty sore. It hurts to open my mouth all the way

I don't know at all really, but that's when I'd get it looked at. Also, are any of your other teeth being pushed around by it?

[TheMadgician]

Not that I've noticed. It's only just starting to poke through the gum line. The rest of my teeth seem fine.

[El Barto]

Presumably you're getting your teeth cleaned every 6 months.  The dentist will look things over then.  Xrays should also tell them what's up.  If any 1 of them are going to be a problem,  he'll probably just recommend pulling them all.  Point is,  I don't think there's anything that's going to go catastrophically wrong between now and your next cleaning/checkup.  Except possibly this:

[TheMadgician]

No dental plan and a family that's not all that financial well off.

So, y'know, not exactly having regular teeth cleanings. I don't think I've had one since I was a kid.

[IJewBear]

Well at this point (not completely breaking through the gum) there's not much you can do other than wait for it to be clearly seen. But you can always go to an oral surgeon, an orthodontist, or even your dentist and they can run through some x-rays. They can tell you right there if they're coming in straight or not.

[TheCor]

It seems like wisdom teeth are a great way for dentists to make a couple thousand dollars for like an hour of work.  Pretty much everyone I know (myself included) has had theirs pulled; I highly doubt it's always necessary.  But if yours is causing pain and continues to do so, you gotta get it checked out and probably pulled.  If you have an Aspen dental office near you, I'd recommend going there.  As a new patient you get a free exam and x-rays and they will set you up on a payment plan for whatever work you get done.

[rumborak]

While I agree that dentists are probably a bit too pull-happy with wisdom teeth, they (the teeth) however have a propensity to really make things nasty if it goes wrong. My wisdom teeth were growing horizontally against the next molar. It wouldn't have been an issue for another 10 years or so, but then things could have gotten bad, real fast.

rumborak