Diseases & Conditions

Impacted wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth that become impacted can cause a variety of problems, from nuisance pain to serious dental disorders. Impacted wisdom teeth often must be surgically removed.

Wisdom teeth are your third molars that are way in the back of your mouth. You usually have four wisdom teeth, one in each corner of your mouth - two on top, two on bottom. Wisdom teeth are the last of your teeth to come in, or erupt through the gums. They normally emerge between ages 17 and 25.

Wisdom teeth often aren't able to emerge normally and instead become impacted, or trapped within your jaw. Understanding more about impacted wisdom teeth can help you decide how and when to treat them and how to prevent related complications.

Early humans needed wisdom teeth and larger jaws to handle a tougher diet. Today's humans typically have smaller jaws and little use for wisdom teeth. That often means problems as your wisdom teeth begin to emerge. Having pesky wisdom teeth surgically extracted seems almost a rite of passage for teens and young adults.

Wisdom teeth develop like your other teeth. But they take the longest to develop and are the last teeth to emerge. Any tooth can become impacted. Because wisdom teeth must fight for space with teeth that have already emerged, they're the teeth most likely to become impacted.

At about age 9, the crown of a wisdom tooth begins to form in a small sac inside your jaw. Over time, the tooth grows and the roots become more firmly planted in the jawbone. By your early 20s, the crown of a wisdom tooth should fully emerge from your gum. By your 40s, the roots of your wisdom teeth are solidly planted within the dense bone of the jaw.

But wisdom teeth often don't follow this normal development pattern. Today's smaller jaws simply may not have room for this last set of molars to grow properly. So the wisdom teeth may become impacted.

The cramped wisdom teeth struggle for a path to grow and emerge. They grow at various angles in the jaw, sometimes even horizontally. Sometimes, a wisdom tooth partially emerges through the gums. Other times, it remains completely hidden.

If you notice pain or swelling in your mouth, teeth, gums or jaw, contact your dentist right away. Also contact your dentist if you notice any changes in your teeth, such as shifting of position, discoloration or changes in sensitivity.