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Wisdom Teeth / Third Molars

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last permanent teeth to appear (erupt) in the mouth. These teeth usually appear in your mid teens to early 20’s. Some people never develop wisdom teeth. For others, wisdom teeth erupt normally — just as their other molars did — and cause no problems.


Several people develop impacted wisdom teeth — teeth that don't have enough room to erupt into the mouth or develop normally. Impacted wisdom teeth may erupt only partially or not at all.

a dentist's hand holding a tooth with his tweezers

Understanding Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Growth Patterns and Reasons for Extraction

How Wisdom Teeth Can Grow and Affect Your Smile

An impacted wisdom tooth may:

  • Grow at an angle toward the next tooth (second molar).

  • Grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth.

  • Grow at a right angle to the other teeth, as if the wisdom tooth is "lying down" within the jawbone.

  • Grow straight up or down like other teeth but stay trapped within the jawbone.

When Impacted Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed

You'll likely need your impacted wisdom tooth pulled if it results in problems such as:

  • Pain.

  • Trapping food and debris behind the wisdom tooth.

  • Infection or gum disease (periodontal disease).

  • Tooth decay in a partially erupted wisdom tooth.

  • Damage to a nearby tooth or surrounding bone.

  • Development of a fluid-filled sac (cyst) around the wisdom tooth.

  • Complications with orthodontic treatments to straighten other teeth.

York Street Dental

At York Street Dental, we maintain a standard of excellence in personalized dental care that enables us to provide quality dental services to our patients.


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