Wisdom Teeth

“With age comes wisdom.” Most of the time, anyway. Wisdom teeth received their name because they usually erupt through gums between the ages of 17 and 21. Since that age is considered to be the transition to adulthood, it is assumed that you now have wisdom.

The wisdom teeth are the two top and two bottom teeth at the very back of the mouth, and when they come in, they finish out the total adult set of 32 teeth. 

Just as with babies teething, wisdom teeth erupting through the gums will cause some discomfort, but if there is outright pain, you should call Dr. Galvin for an examination. When correctly positioned in the back of the mouth, the wisdom teeth will be the strongest and widest teeth with which to chew food.

Difficulties with the wisdom teeth are often due to there not being enough room for them to come in, or they come through in the wrong position. If the teeth become trapped in the jaw or under the gums, it is called an impaction.

Over 10 million people have their wisdom teeth removed in the United States every year. Impaction is the main reason. Other problems could necessitate extraction, including infection or gum disease, but even if these teeth come in as they should, they will need to be monitored for the rest of your life to avoid any other problems.