WISDOM TEETH

WHY MIGHT I NEED TO HAVE MY WISDOM TEETH REMOVED?

Often, wisdom teeth don’t grow in properly. A tooth is “impacted” if it’s prevented from reaching its normal position (say, by obstruction from tissue or another tooth). Impacted teeth can cause problems with chewing or periodontal problems and damage adjacent teeth. A tooth can be partially impacted—it has broken through the surface of the gums but can’t grow into a normal position. Dentists can determine which teeth won’t grow in properly. Impacted wisdom teeth may hurt, and they can develop cavities, infections or periodontal disease. It’s often when these problems arise (as well as during regular dental exams) that people realized they need to have their wisdom teeth extracted. Some people never need surgery—their wisdom teeth grow into proper position / the teeth stay in the jawbone & don’t cause problems. Others don’t need surgery as young adults, but their wisdom teeth may cause problems later in life.