Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to grow in the mouth. When they align properly and gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this is pretty rare. The extraction of wisdom teeth is necessary when they are can’t properly grow. They may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum, and even remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to successfully erupt.

These poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause many problems and pain. When they are partially erupted, the opening around the teeth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually cause an infection. The pressure from the erupting wisdom teeth may move other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of teeth. Removal of wisdom teeth allows you to avoid these problems and the sooner they are removed the easier the procedure is for both patient and surgeon.