Why Do Wisdom Teeth Get Impacted

Wisdom teeth (known as third molars), are the last teeth to come through and we can usually expect to see them around the ages of 17-25. They are found right at the end of our upper and lower jaws.

When our wisdom teeth start to come through, they can become easily impacted on adjacent teeth. This can be quite painful and cause a lot of discomfort for you. This happens because our jaws quite often do not have enough space for these teeth to glide into the correct place.

There are three main ways they can become impacted:

• Vertical – grows straight down and hits the adjacent tooth
• Angular – grows at an angle facing the front of the mouth
• Horizontal – grows horizontally and pushes straight against the next tooth’s root
• Distal – grows in the wrong direction away from the adjacent tooth

Do I Need My Wisdom Tooth Removed?

Initially when our wisdom teeth come through, it can cause headaches and be quite painful. This doesn’t always mean you will need to have them extracted, as they can settle down and the pain goes away. We recommend going to see your dentist so they can assess the tooth and see if it could potentially cause you more issues. In the best case scenario, the tooth will not be problematic and you won’t need any treatment.

Because of how the wisdom teeth grow, they can cause irritations on the insides of our cheeks. This can lead to abscesses and you may potentially need antibiotics to fight the infection.

If you are worried at all or have any questions about your dental health, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team and we will be happy to help.