central alberta maxillofacial centre

Wisdom teeth

The people typically develop wisdom teeth between ages 15-21. Wisdom teeth develop in the back of the mouth and are the last teeth to erupt. Typically there is not enough room in the mouth to allow the teeth coming into a proper chewing position; therefore, these teeth come in at weird angles, partially through the gum tissue or remain impacted.

Having wisdom teeth removed is recommended when they are unable to properly erupt within the mouth.

When wisdom teeth have broken through the gum tissue but are not fully erupted, food and plaque can become trapped between the gum tissue and the tooth which can result in infection in the gum tissue around the tooth which in turn can result in cavities in the wisdom teeth and/or adjacent teeth.

Also pressure from erupting wisdom teeth may cause crowding of the remaining teeth, especially when an individual has undergone orthodontic treatment (braces), it is recommended to have wisdom teeth removed to prevent crowding after the braces have been removed.

Retaining your wisdom teeth can sometimes result in the development of dental cysts/ tumors. These cysts or tumors can often cause significant harm to the bone nearby and even damage healthy teeth.Having your wisdom teeth removed at a younger age is ideal since surgery tends to be easier and there are usually fewer postoperative complications and risks.