Wisdom teeth are the last molars to come in, typically appearing in the late teens or early twenties. Most people have four of them, one in each corner of the mouth, though it's not uncommon for someone to have fewer or, occasionally, none at all. The problem is that by the time these teeth try to emerge, the jaw has usually finished growing, and there simply isn't enough room for them. When a wisdom tooth can't fully break through the gum or grow in the right direction, it's described as impacted. It's a surprisingly common situation. A large portion of adults have at least one impacted wisdom tooth at some point in their lives, and many never experience noticeable symptoms until the tooth becomes infected or starts affecting surrounding teeth. For a thorough breakdown of what happens during this process and why, understanding impacted wisdom teeth helps clarify what your dentist is looking for on those routine X-rays. How Does a Wisdom Tooth Become Impacted? The...
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