In short: Wisdom teeth often cause problems when there isn’t enough room and they come in at an angle or get stuck (impacted) — leading to pain, infection, decay or crowding. But healthy, well-positioned wisdom teeth that cause no trouble usually don’t need removing. A dentist assesses with an X-ray whether yours should come out.
Wisdom teeth are the last molars, usually appearing in the late teens or twenties. Because they arrive when the jaw is often already full, there’s frequently not enough room — which is why they so often cause trouble. Common problems include:
- Impaction — the tooth is stuck under the gum or angled against the tooth in front, unable to come through properly.
- Pain and infection — a partly-erupted wisdom tooth leaves a gum flap that traps food and bacteria, causing painful, recurring infections (pericoronitis).
- Decay and gum disease — they’re hard to clean at the very back, so they and their neighbours are prone to cavities and gum problems.
- Damage to the next tooth, or cysts, from an impacted tooth pushing against it.
- Crowding or pressure in some cases.
Should they be removed? Not always. The modern approach is:
- If they’re healthy, fully erupted, correctly positioned and cleanable — they usually don’t need removing.
- If they’re causing pain, infection, decay, or damaging other teeth — or are impacted and problematic — removal is recommended.
A dentist decides based on an examination and an X-ray showing their position and roots. Sometimes removing a troublesome wisdom tooth early avoids bigger problems later.
If your wisdom teeth are aching or causing trouble, book an assessment — our wisdom tooth extraction service can relieve the problem safely.