The Story of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

1. Wisdom Teeth (No. 3 below) develop inside the bones. Crowns come first, then the roots.

2. If the jaws grow long enough, the wisdom teeth can erupt and be used.

3. If the jaws are not long enough by age 16, wisdom teeth stay trapped (impacted) inside the bone.

4. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause:

A. Infection of the gums over or around them.

B. Infection in the bone around them. 

C. Destruction of the next tooth.

D. Destruction of the bone by formation of a cyst.

E. Other teeth pushed out of line (arrows). 

Early removal of impacted wisdom teeth can be the key to avoiding many problems.