Wisdom Teeth

Your last molars, called the third molars or wisdom teeth, typically begin to come in (erupt) during the late teen years or early twenties. When they don’t have room to grow in, or they’re trapped in your jaw because they are tilted or rotated, they are impacted.

You can avoid the pain and possible damaging effects of an impacted wisdom tooth by having it removed early, before its roots are fully developed. We can monitor the development of your wisdom teeth with X-rays, and remove them as soon as we determine that they will likely cause difficulties.

Even if your wisdom teeth came in properly, they can still cause problems. They’re located at the back of your mouth, making them extremely difficult to brush and floss, so it’s easy for plaque to collect on them. Plaque buildup can cause decay and periodontal disease, which can result in a host of other difficulties. For these reasons, we’ll usually recommend removing wisdom teeth, even if they’ve emerged.