Everybody is born with all of the teeth they will ever have in life. When babies begin to have their teeth coming through, those are their “baby teeth.” When they get a little older, around the age of seven, eight, or nine, they begin to lose those baby teeth as their full grown adult teeth come in.
Wisdom teeth are generally the last set of molars that will cut through the gums. They are the farthest back in the mouth, both top and bottom. For many people, wisdom teeth are commonly a problem. That is because when we get braces or have other teeth related issues, it can cause some teeth to shift out of alignment, making it very difficult, if not impossible for the wisdom teeth to come through.
Wisdom teeth will generally begin to come through after a person turns 18. It can take as late as 23 or even 25 years of age before these teeth break through the gum line.
When wisdom teeth are impacted, it means they are trying to come up but are running into resistance because of other teeth that are in the way. This can be an incredibly painful situation for those affected by it.
Just because wisdom teeth haven’t come in, that doesn’t mean that they are not subject to potential cavities and other oral decay issues. The most common way that a dentist will diagnose impacted wisdom teeth is through oral x-rays. Taking an oral x-ray will show the dentist exactly where every tooth is, whether it has come through or not. They can determine the angle of the wisdom tooth, whether it will be able to come up, and then address the situation accordingly.
Many dentists will recommend that impacted wisdom teeth be removed. This may require minor surgery if the tooth cannot be pulled straight out.
If you have impacted wisdom teeth or are experiencing a significant amount of pain toward the back of your tooth line, make sure that you consult your dentist as soon as possible. The longer that you wait to address this problem, the more serious it can become.