Wisdom tooth

A third molar, commonly called a wisdom tooth, is one of the three molars per quadrant of the human dentition. It is the most posterior of the three. The age at which wisdom teeth come through (erupt) is variable, but this generally occurs between late teens and early twenties. Most adults have four wisdom teeth, one in each of the four quadrants, but it is possible to have none, one to three, or more than four, in which case the extras are called supernumerary teeth.

Wisdom teeth may get stuck (impacted) against other teeth if there is not enough space for them to come through normally, from the jaw being too small, probably because of insufficient chewing of hard and crunchy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in the years when the bones are still growing.

Impacted wisdom teeth are still sometimes removed for orthodontic treatment, believing that they move the other teeth and cause crowding, though this is not held anymore as true. Impacted wisdom teeth may suffer from tooth decay if oral hygiene becomes more difficult.

Wisdom teeth which are partially erupted through the gum may also cause inflammation and infection in the surrounding gum tissues, termed pericoronitis. Some more conservative treatments, such as operculectomies, may be fitting for some cases, yet impacted wisdom teeth are commonly extracted as treatment for these problems, many times before these problems even occur.

At Forest & Ray wisdom tooth extraction is performed by our general dentists, and in case of a impacted wisdom tooth by our oral surgeons.