What are wisdom teeth and why do I have them?
Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars. Most people’s wisdom teeth come in during their late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth can be a welcome addition to your mouth if ample room is available for them and they align themselves with the rest of your teeth. Just like other molars, wisdom teeth perform valuable chewing functions and can help support the structure of the mouth and jaw. Why do some wisdom teeth have to be extracted? The arrival of wisdom teeth can sometimes cause problems mainly due to misalignment. Misalignment can come in many different forms. Some wisdom teeth may position themselves horizontally. Some may be be angled toward or away from the second molars or be angled inward or outward. When wisdom teeth are poorly aligned with the rest of the mouth, they can crowd existing teeth, sometimes even causing damage to the teeth around them, the jaw or even the nerves. Wisdom teeth that are angled toward or overlap other teeth often become traps for plaque a
