Your wisdom teeth are right at the back of the mouth and are the very last to come through during the late teens or early 20s. However, sometimes they can cause problems, often because the jaws aren’t big enough to accommodate these latecomers.
If your wisdom teeth have yet to come through and you regularly visit our practice, you can trust us to keep an eye on their development. Digital dental x-rays help us check the position of these teeth, and we can tell if they can erupt properly or if they are likely to become stuck in the jawbone, a problem where they are referred to as being impacted. Sometimes wisdom teeth will only partially erupt, and because they are trickier to keep clean, they can become infected or decayed. Other times, wisdom teeth will try to come through sideways through the gums or underneath the adjacent teeth.
Problem wisdom teeth can be painful, but other times they may cause few if any symptoms. Possible symptoms include an aching sensation at the back of your mouth or noticing swelling and redness as your wisdom teeth try to come through. If we can see your wisdom teeth are causing problems or pain, we can ensure they are removed as comfortably as possible.