Implants - Oral Surgery - Wisdom Teeth

What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth...and Why Are They a Health Problem?

A wisdom tooth, or third molar, that is blocked from erupting into the mouth in a normal fashion is said to be "impacted." A tooth may only be partially impacted, meaning it can erupt only partially into the mouth, or completely impacted, totally covered by bone and not likely to erupt. Nine out of ten people have at least one completely impacted wisdom tooth, generally resulting from a lack of space in the mouth.

Impacted teeth can lead to a variety of problems including pain, infection, crowding or damage to adjacent teeth, and can contribute to more significant health problems. For example, the sac that surrounds an impacted tooth may become cystic and fill with fluid that allows it to enlarge, causing damage to adjacent tissues such as the neighboring teeth, jawbone and other structures. Occasionally, a tumor may develop from the tissue surrounding the impacted tooth requiring a more involved surgical procedure to treat it.

Given that wisdom teeth rarely contribute to function in most patients, waiting for problems to develop generally makes their removal more difficult. As wisdom teeth develop, their roots grow longer, and the jawbone becomes more dense, making them more difficult to remove and complications more apt to occur.

It is not wise to wait until your wisdom teeth start to bother you. Very often people are unaware of problems with their wisdom teeth because they experience few or no symptoms. The fact is that damage often occurs before you are aware of it. In fact, studies have found that even wisdom teeth that have broken through the tissue and erupted into the mouth in an apparently normal, upright position may be as prone to disease as impacted wisdom teeth.

Complications are impossible to predict. The longer the wisdom teeth remain in your mouth, the more likely they are to cause problems. Researchers strongly recommend that in order to prevent future problems, wisdom teeth, even those that appear problem free, be removed during early adulthood. They found that as patients age they may be at greater risk for developing disease, including bacterial infections in the tissues surrounding the wisdom teeth and adjacent teeth. As clinical trials and other research suggest, bacteria from gum line infections can enter the bloodstream and may adversely affect your general health. They may also be a contributing factor to preterm or low birth weight infants.

Impacted wisdom teeth may become painful for the patient, and may crowd the rest of the mouth. Have them removed before they become a problem.