A wisdom tooth is the third molar, which appears in the farthest area of the jaw, respectively the mandible. These molars need space on the mature dental arch, to erupt normally. This is the reason why they come out at an older age than the other permanent teeth, i.e. when the dental arches have fully developed. Even so, problems appear frequently, and they refer, in particular, to the position in which wisdom teeth develop and the way in which they erupt.
From this point of view, the following situations represent serious reasons why extraction can be recommended or even mandatory:
- Partial eruption (part of the tooth mass remains in the gum). Because a wisdom tooth erupts in the back of the mouth, it is hard to see exactly what's going on there, and proper brushing is not easy either. Therefore, partially erupting wisdom teeth can keep food debris in the oral cavity for too long, which can cause gum disease and other oral infections.
- They do not have enough space to grow. When wisdom teeth do not have enough space to develop normally, they can make room forcibly. Basically, they push into the molars next to which they grow. This can lead to crowded teeth and inherent damage; dental crowding may have a generalized domino effect.
