In my opinion, wisdom teeth, or third molars, that grow into your arch with normal alignment and function should be left alone because they may become useful later in life.

However, wisdom teeth can grow into the arch in a poor position, causing:

  1. Bite problems
  2. Bone loss and pockets around other teeth
  3. Infections
  4. Decay

These problems are often the result of a jaw that is too small to accommodate the wisdom teeth as they attempt to grow into the arch. If these problems do occur, then the wisdom teeth should be removed if the person is in a generally healthy state. Wisdom teeth can also be a source of bacterial infections and cysts, and can cause problems in oral hygiene. Their removal, however, must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.

A dentist who believes that all wisdom teeth should be removed is either not knowledgeable or misinformed, or has a personal preference in the matter. One must seek a dentist with good judgment to go over the pros and cons of extraction and determine whether your overall general and dental health warrants the removal of these teeth.

If a wisdom tooth is causing a problem for other teeth — whether your bite is involved or just the tooth adjacent to the wisdom tooth — and constant infections occur, then it is advisable to remove the wisdom tooth. It is also important to analyze the anatomy of the roots of the wisdom teeth to see if they are near a nerve that runs to the lower jaw. If the nerve is wrapped around the bottom of the roots, removal might cause long-term numbness. All of these factors must be taken into consideration in determining whether removal of the wisdom teeth is the best course of action.

Learn more in the Everyday Health Dental Health Center.