Wisdom Teeth/ 3rd Molars

Wisdom teeth often don't have room to grow in properly, and they can cause problems. Wisdom teeth can grow in at various angles in the jaw, sometimes even horizontally.

Problems can include wisdom teeth that:

Stay fully hidden within the gums. If they can't grow in the usual way, wisdom teeth become trapped within the jaw. These are called impacted wisdom teeth. Sometimes this can lead to an infection or cause a cyst that can damage other teeth roots or bone support.

Some dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth if they don't fully grow in. In many instances, taking out wisdom teeth as a young adult — generally 15 to 22 years old — is safer, easier and requires less recovery than taking out wisdom teeth later in life. This is because the roots aren't fully formed, the bone in the jaws is less dense and recovery from surgery generally is faster. This is why some young adults have their wisdom teeth pulled before the teeth cause problems.