Dentist in Gardners, PA - Bettina McBeth DMD - Wisdom Teeth treatment information

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth to erupt in your mouth and are the teeth least needed for good oral health. Most people have four wisdom teeth that usually erupt through the gums in their late teens or early twenties. Sometimes wisdom teeth remain trapped in the jawbone under the gums because there is insufficient room for them to erupt.

Wisdom teeth can cause gum disease, crowding or other damage to adjacent teeth, decay, and bone destroying cysts. Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of an issue with wisdom teeth. A special x-ray or radiograph called a panoramic view is usually taken to determine the location of wisdom teeth.


Horizontal Impaction is a severe condition that always requires extraction.	Vertical Impaction. In time, vertically impacted teeth may erupt. However, in many cases the process is painful and can damage and crowd adjacent teeth.

Mesial Impaction is the most common condition requiring extraction.	Distal Impaction. The term “distal” simply means that the wisdom tooth is angled back, towards the rear of the mouth.