You should have your wisdom tooth (or impacted tooth) removed once they erupt. They are generally the last teeth to do so. In some cases, wisdom teeth can align correctly and do not require removal. This doesn’t always happen, and they do need to be extracted if they do not properly erupt within the mouth.
Wisdom teeth can grow only partially exposed outside of the gum. They can also remain trapped inside the gum and bone. Impacted teeth can exhibit various positions as they attempt to erupt in the mouth.
Poorly positioned impacted teeth can cause various problems. When they partially erupt, this allows the teeth to harbor bacteria, causing an infection. This may ultimately lead to disease, pain, and illness. The increased pressure from erupting wisdom teeth can cause the surrounding teeth to move awkwardly as well and disrupt the natural alignment of teeth.
In serious cases, tumors or cysts can develop around impacted wisdom teeth. For early treatment and diagnosis of wisdom teeth, please call our La Jolla office and schedule a consultation.
