Wisdom Teeth

Are also known as the third molars and located in the very back of your mouth. They are the last set of teeth to erupt. Typically most people have 4 wisdom teeth, but not everyone gets all 4. Around the age of 18, they begin to erupt, many dentists recommend having them out at a younger age for faster recovery after surgery and the bone and roots of the tooth are not fully formed. Many times the wisdom teeth may not have room to fully erupt through the gums and they need to be removed. Sometimes the can hurt when they begin to erupt.

Even if your wisdom teeth and come in healthy with no complications your dentist may still recommend for them to be removed. But not everyone needs for them to be removed. If they are healthy, completely grown in with lots of space for proper cleaning, positioned correctly they may stay in the mouth with no complications. Sometimes even if a tooth is impacted removing may not be a good option, depending on how close it is to the nerve or sinuses.

Some issue that can be caused by wisdom teeth are:

• Pain or infection with the tissue surrounding the tooth

• Cysts, that sometimes form around the tooth in the jaw

• Gum disease- if the tooth is partially erupted it may be hard to clean and collect bacteria

• Damage to other teeth or decay from lack of being able to clean all surfaces of the teeth or crowding other teeth and not have enough room to come in properly

• Impacted wisdom teeth, if the wisdom teeth grow in on an angle or horizontally

It can cause pain, swelling, and discomfort or even infection

It is always best to consult your Dentist or your Oral Surgeon to determine whether or not your wisdom teeth should be removed.