Third molars are commonly known as wisdom teeth and they often erupt in the late teens or early 20s. Although most people develop and grow 32 permanent adult teeth, often times their jaws are too small to accommodate the erupting four wisdom teeth. When the limited space prevents the wisdom teeth from erupting they are referred to as impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort depending on the size of the patient’s jaw and position of the teeth.

When the teeth emerge properly and are aligned with the adjacent teeth, and the surrounding gum tissue is healthy, no treatment is necessary and the wisdom teeth are left in place. However, in most cases, wisdom tooth extraction is necessary when there is inadequate space for the teeth to erupt in a correct alignment. Wisdom teeth can erupt sideways, remaining below the gum and bone, or partially protrude through the gums.

Symptoms of misaligned wisdom teeth include:

• Pain
• Infection
• Jaw stiffness
• Sensitive gums in the wisdom teeth area
• Decay in the adjacent teeth
• Shifting/crowding of the teeth

Your initial visit will be a consultation to determine if wisdom teeth removal is necessary. A special x-ray (panoramic or CT scan) of your jaws is taken to reveal if your wisdom teeth are impacted and how difficult it will be to remove them.

If you believe you need your wisdom teeth removed contact your dentist to schedule a consultation to determine if wisdom teeth removal is necessary for you.