Although wisdom teeth, also referred to as "third molars," may start forming in the early teenage years, they don't typically become fully formed until the later teenage years, or even into the early 20's in some cases. A person may not always develop all four, which has no significance...but it does result in a happier patient who needs less teeth extracted in those times they do need to be removed!
That being said, do wisdom teeth always need to be removed? Not always. Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to form and may appear anytime from mid to late puberty through early adulthood. If sufficient room in the jaw is present the teeth will develop and move (erupt) into place.
For some patients, sufficient room is not present, which prevents full eruption. This causes the teeth to become impacted - simply put, they become stuck in place. Impactions can cause inflammation or infections of the gums around the surface where these teeth erupt, or the development of decay from bacteria that invade the inaccessible spaces between the teeth. A complete evaluation of the teeth and surrounding structures, as well as associated risks and benefits, are all considered when assessing the need for removal.
So…why are they called “wisdom teeth,” anyway? Because they appear so late, at an age when a person matures into adulthood and is “wiser” than when their previous teeth had erupted.
Questions? We can be reached by navigating to the Contact page of our website, by e-mail at info@drkhull.com, or by phone at (781) 942-2020.
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