Wisdom teeth can be very problematic due to the limited amount of space they have to erupt within the mouth. Additionally, the surrounding gum tissue is very difficult to keep clean which can lead to a number of complications.

When a wisdom tooth is blocked or unable to erupt normally in the mouth it is said to be “impacted”. Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to erupt successfully; they may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum, and even remain trapped under the gum and bone. The removal of impacted wisdom teeth is necessary in order to prevent future problems.

A wisdom tooth that has only partially erupted into the mouth is said to be “partially impacted”. Because of their positioning in the back of the mouth, brushing and flossing is very challenging. Therefore, partially impacted wisdom teeth are more susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay. The images below show general trends of wisdom teeth.