Your wisdom teeth  are your third and final set of molars that arrive sometime between your teen years and early twenties. If your wisdom teeth arrive without a problem and they are in the right position, you don't need to have your wisdom teeth removed. Sometimes your wisdom teeth can stay below the surface, or crowd nearby teeth. Your wisdom teeth will either erupt into your mouth when it's time, or some may remain impacted below the surface.

If Your Wisdom Teeth are Impacted

If your wisdom teeth are impacted, this means that they are blocked from being able to grow correctly. Impacted wisdom teeth often go horizontal, and will remain underneath the surface of your gums. Some wisdom teeth may even come out partially, but be pointing in a direction towards other teeth. Wisdom teeth that are partially impacted but come part way out of the gum line usually need to be removed because they are a place for bacteria to accumulate. This leads to cavities and infections, which can cause problems with your teeth and gums.

Impacted wisdom teeth may also hurt, as the roots of molars can become intertwined. As your wisdom tooth that doesn't have enough room tries to come out, it can cause problems with the tooth right next to it. When you ignore this problem, you can end up with significant tooth decay in your molars. You will need to make sure to floss your teeth consistently, and make sure you get all the way back in between your last set of molars.

If Your Wisdom Teeth Don't Bother You

If your wisdom teeth have come in and they don't give you any problem, it's fine to keep them. When your wisdom teeth erupt, this often causes some slight crowding in your mouth. This can make cleaning your back molars very difficult. Some dentists may recommend removing your wisdom teeth, even if they aren't causing you problems because they can be so hard to clean. In addition, cavities placed into wisdom teeth can be quite hard to take care of and usually lead to further cavities.

If you are considering getting your wisdom teeth out, it's important to know that the process doesn't hurt. While you will feel pressure, you will also have proper anesthesia to deal with any pain. During your recovery, you may have swelling and pain, but you'll recover with rest, ice, and pain medications. To learn more, contact an oral surgeon like Altoona Center For Oral Surgery & Maxillofacial Surgery.