Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to develop. They are located at the very back of the mouth, behind the second molars. Their development is usually completed in the late teenage years.
When a person’s mouth is too small to allow wisdom teeth to erupt, they may remain fully or partially impacted—that is, embedded in the jawbone. This abnormal condition often requires treatment to remove the tooth or help it erupt normally.
These problems may develop gradually once the impacted tooth begins to emerge and affects the neighbouring teeth and gums.
When wisdom teeth are removed during the teenage years or early twenties, healing conditions are generally more favourable and complications are less common. This is why it is often preferable to assess the situation and intervene at that stage.
Other problems may also occur as wisdom teeth emerge, especially when they do not erupt completely, including:
- infections
- inflammation of the surrounding gums
- the development of cysts or benign tumours