Wisdom teeth usually come in when a patient is near the end of adolescence or in their mid-20s. Also called third molars, wisdom teeth are found at the back of the dental arch. Although most people have four of them, having less or none at all is not uncommon.
Do wisdom teeth have to be extracted?
Not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed. In fact, many people keep them all of their life. However, if space is an issue, yours may need to be removed for preventive reasons. If your mouth is too small for your wisdom teeth to come in properly, they could become partially or fully impacted in the jawbone, which would require an intervention.
How do I know if my wisdom teeth are coming in?
There are a many signs to indicate that the third molars are erupting. Pain is a first indicator, and it usually comes and goes over a few days. Another common symptom is bleeding gums near the back of the mouth. Patients may also experience tense jaw muscles, swelling or cysts.
Extracting the wisdom teeth may be needed to relieve the pain and to prevent unpleasant consequences. Since lack of space is often the source of the problem, letting the wisdom teeth come in anyway may lead to dental overlapping and a higher risk of developing carious lesions.