WHAT IS WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION?
Wisdom teeth are located at the end of the jaw and are the last teeth to erupt. Most people have 4 wisdom teeth in the 4 corners of the jaw. Wisdom teeth usually begin to erupt from the gums between the ages of 18-25. At this time, 28 permanent teeth have grown enough, the tooth arch therefore may not be wide enough, leading to the phenomenon of wisdom teeth getting stuck causing pain and discomfort.
In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth may not cause immediate symptoms but are difficult to clean, causing accumulation of food and bacteria that cause tooth decay, periodontitis, bad breath, etc. They can cause pressure by pushing the anterior teeth into crowding. Food accumulation makes the wisdom tooth and the adjacent tooth susceptible to decay.