Wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure. Wisdom teeth often cause issues as they are emerge through the gums. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it means the tooth is coming in at an angle and not straight through the gum line. This can cause pain, the tooth can come in unevenly, or the tooth may only emerge partially. It can also cause the other teeth to move and become uneven.
When a wisdom tooth only emerges partially, a flap of skin, may form over the tooth. This can make the tooth hard to clean, and particles of food may be caught under the skin. This makes it easy for an infection, called pericoronitis, to develop which causes swelling and pain in the area.
Impacted teeth and wisdom teeth that can potentially cause problems, such as infections, need to be removed. Extractions can range from a single tooth, to removing all four wisdom teeth at once.
