Humans get their second set of adult teeth in early adolescence. In the beginning, this adult set will consist of twenty-eight teeth. Four more teeth will come in later. These teeth are the upper and lower third molars. They are called wisdom teeth. They are given this name because they usually come in between age seventeen and twenty one, around the time that children start to gain “wisdom.”

In many people, wisdom teeth come in with no problems. If the teeth are healthy and they come in straight, then most of the time people do not even realize the teeth are there. In some cases, wisdom teeth cause problems that require them to be removed. There are also some dentists who believe in removing the teeth prior to any problems existing. It is easier to remove wisdom teeth in someone who is in their late teens or early twenties. At this point, the jawbone and the roots of the teeth are not fully developed.

There are a few problems that often occur with wisdom teeth. If the jaw is not large enough, the teeth will not be able to come through the gums. They might also come halfway through your gums. If this occurs, food can become trapped under the gums. This often causes gum infections. Problems also occur when the wisdom teeth do not come in straight. Sometimes they even come in facing the wrong direction. For people who have smaller mouths, they sometimes have problems with their mouth becoming too crowded. This can make it difficult to keep the wisdom teeth clean.

Typically, there will be no symptoms associated with wisdom teeth. If a patient is having symptoms, this is usually a sign that the wisdom teeth should be removed. If a tooth has come in crooked, there might be irritation on the cheek, tongue, or other parts of the mouth. There might be crowding of the rest of the teeth. There is sometimes gum disease or decay on the wisdom teeth or those near it. There can also be swelling and infection. The most common symptom is pain and stiffness in the jaw and over the tooth.