Most individuals are born with four wisdom teeth, which are the farthest molars in the back of the mouth. Typically, in individuals who have enough space in their jaw, they emerge at around age 17. However, some patients don’t have enough room in their jaw to accommodate all of their wisdom teeth, causing them to get blocked, or “impacted” by the teeth sitting in front of them. As a result, the wisdom teeth are often sitting beneath the gums and/or jawbone horizontally or at an angle, and will never fully emerge to the surface. Impacted wisdom teeth can result in a variety of dental problems, which is why it is often recommended to take them out by a skilled dentist or oral surgeon.

CROWDING

Impacted wisdom teeth that are stuck beneath the surface are often at a tilted or horizontal angle, causing all the teeth in front of them to be pushed forward. The pushing of all the other dentition often can result in crowding of the teeth, where teeth seem rotated, crooked, and overlapped in front of each other. It also causes teeth to move out of place, so the teeth may look crooked overall. In these cases, it is recommended to have the wisdom teeth removed at a younger age, before the crowding intensifies and becomes more difficult to correct. Many of our patients who experience crowding due to wisdom tooth impaction follow their wisdom teeth extractions with orthodontic treatment, to correct the alignment of the teeth once there is adequate room within the jaw for all of the teeth to be in their appropriate position.

PERICORONITIS

Impacted wisdom teeth that get stuck just underneath the gum surface can result in a type of gum infection called pericoronitis. It is most often associated with the bottom wisdom teeth in the mandible. Often times, it starts when just a small portion of the impacted wisdom tooth is peaking out from beneath the gums. Bacteria is able to enter the small entry, and gets lodged in the small pocket with limited access to keeping it hygienic. Therefore the surrounding gums start to swell. Symptoms of pericoronitis include inflammation, redness, and discomfort of the tissues surrounding the wisdom teeth. As the infection progresses, the gums can begin to exude pus and blood, therefore patients with pericoronitis should have their wisdom teeth taken out as soon as possible in order to prevent the infection from progressing further.

DAMAGE TO OTHER MOLARS

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause damage to adjacent teeth in a variety of ways. The continuous horizontal pressure of impacted wisdom teeth on adjacent teeth can cause permanent resorption of these teeth, which can be extremely difficult to restore. Impacted wisdom teeth can also create pockets of space within the gums, which creates a suitable environment for bacteria, food, water, and various other toxins to get trapped within these pockets and cause further damage and decay of the wisdom teeth and adjacent molars.

Wisdom teeth can be extracted comfortably by either an experienced general dentist or an oral surgeon through a variety of techniques to make sure the procedure is a comfortable experience for the patient. For more complex cases, our office also offers moderate sedation for patients who would prefer to be asleep during the procedure. Regardless of the situation, our office can confidently diagnose and guide you through your treatment for your wisdom teeth.