Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to emerge and are located in the very back part of the mouth. They generally come in between the ages of 14-30, although some people never get them at all. For many people, wisdom teeth grow in properly and cause no problems at all. For others however, problems arise, and intervention is necessary to avoid future complications. If left untreated, problematic wisdom teeth can lead to pain, tooth decay, gum disease, and occlusion problems.
Wisdom teeth can be a source of concern for many people. If there is too little room in the back of the mouth for wisdom teeth to erupt properly, their growth can be disrupted. For some people, wisdom teeth erupt only partially through the gums. This can result in crowding issues with the surrounding teeth, cavities, gums infections and/or severe pain. Sometimes wisdom teeth can grow in unusual directions, which can cause complications like crowding and damage to adjacent second molars. Impacted wisdom teeth occur when there is not enough room for wisdom teeth to erupt in the mouth. When wisdom teeth are impacted in the jaw, this can provide a very fertile ground for bacteria to grow at the opening of the mouth, which could lead to gum infection which could cause considerable discomfort, pain, swelling, and illness. Oftentimes your dentist can foresee problems arising later on, so will recommend the removal of your wisdom teeth to avoid expensive surgical procedures later on.