Clarifying Certain Doubts about Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, popularly known as the third molars are the ones that grow at the very end of all the 32 adult teeth. The peculiar thing about these molars is the fact that they have the tendency of developing at the rear end of the upper and lower jaws that exist behind the other existing adult teeth.

They are termed as wisdom teeth as these teeth typically appear when people are believed to gain experience with age. It has been found that wisdom teeth grow when you are between 17 to 21 years of age.

These teeth grow at the very end than the rest of the adult teeth, which generally have already grown out during childhood.

We understand that you might have lots of questions about wisdom teeth and as a reputed Narrabeen dentist, we have addressed selected-few concerns in this write--up.


By what age does a person get all the four wisdom teeth?
It has been observed that most of the people develop all the four wisdom teeth by their twenties. However, there are certain cases where only a few or none at all may come in through the gums. These discrepancies ultimately boil down to a wide array of factors like gender, genetics, and diet.

Are there any problems connected with wisdom teeth?
Chances are if you are lucky, it is possible to evade any negative experience connected to wisdom teeth while it is growing.

The problem is, certain people, do not have big jaws to fit in wisdom teeth in their mouths properly. Sometimes growing teeth can cause a lot of pain. And when there is not enough room for the teeth to grow, it can increase the pain.

With the growth of wisdom teeth, they may grow sideways or get crooked in the jaw. This can lead to changes in bite occlusion and overcrowding of the jaw, which can make it difficult to maintain oral hygiene. It can even lead to infection, cysts, nerve damage, and other complications.

If the molars grow sideways or get crooked, it becomes intricate to brush and floss appropriately between them. This can result in an environment that can cause the teeth to get susceptible to tooth decay. It is even possible for the food to get trapped in between the teeth, which can prove to be detrimental for the overall gum health.

It is even seen in some instances that the wisdom teeth grow crooked, which can cause other teeth to get pushed out of their normal position. This can lead to alternation in the position and fit of your bite. In certain worse cases, the person may find it difficult to chew food or close his/her mouth correctly as a result of facial pain and misaligned teeth.


In case, the molars have developed but don’t erupt through the gums; it is possible to form cysts in the jaw bone around the tooth. The cysts can get infected and can cause damage to the bones, nerves, and soft tissue of the mouth and other teeth.

There are rare chances that the lining around the effected wisdom teeth may get chronically infected, which can result in cancer.

So, here you have it. We have clarified certain doubts about wisdom teeth. To get more information, we suggest you get in touch with a reputed dentist today!

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