Why Remove Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

If the teeth are in a position that they could erupt, then the teeth can be monitored as they develop and be otherwise left alone to erupt naturally. However, if the teeth are angled so that they will not be able to erupt due to becoming lodged against the other teeth, then the teeth should be evaluated for removal as soon as possible. This monitoring usually starts in early adolescence, around the age of 12. If the teeth are left to complete development when they cannot erupt, their development can cause problems. These problems include, crowding the already erupted teeth, pain due to pressure in the jaw, encroachment on the nerve, and partial eruption which can lead to tooth decay on the adjacent tooth, or infection around the partially erupted tooth.

If a wisdom tooth is left to develop when it will not erupt, there is a chance that the tooth can later become infected making it necessary to remove at some point. As the tooth develop in the lower jaw, the growing structure becomes more difficult and traumatic to remove from the lower jawbone. As the root elongates toward the lower nerve, the risk of damaging the lower nerve in removal becomes greater. Also the amount of trauma that will be caused during the removal becomes greater, making the removal more risky.

It is therefore important that impacted wisdom teeth are removed as soon as they are noticed. Waiting until they become fully formed can lead to more serious complications, including nerve damage. By removing impacted wisdom teeth right away, patients can minimize their chances of experiencing any pain or dental issues down the road.