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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffImpacted wisdom teeth can cause several problems in the mouth:
- Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or make it more vulnerable to infection. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or orthodontic treatments to straighten other teeth.
- Cysts. The wisdom tooth grows in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves. Rarely, a tumor — usually a noncancerous tumor — develops, a complication that may require removal of tissue and bone.
- Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be more vulnerable to tooth decay (caries) than other teeth. This problem probably occurs because wisdom teeth are more difficult to clean and because food and bacteria are easily trapped between the gum and a tooth that is only partially erupted.
- Gum disease. The difficulty of cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth also makes them a vulnerable site for the development of a painful, inflammatory gum condition called pericoronitis.
References
- Wisdom teeth. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/wisdom_teeth.php. Accessed Feb. 22, 2010.
- Marciani RD. Third molar removal: An overview of indications, imaging, evaluation, and assessment of risk. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America. 2007;19:1.
- Bagheri SC, et al. Extraction versus nonextraction management of third molars. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America. 2007;19:15.
- Esposito M, et al. Impacted wisdom teeth. Clinical Evidence (Online). 2008. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=19450307. Accessed Feb. 22, 2010.
- Gingivitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch095/ch095c.html. Accessed March 3, 2010.
- Caries. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch095/ch095b.html. Accessed March 3, 2010.
- Pogrel MA, et al. White paper on third molar data (2007). American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/media.php. Accessed Feb. 27, 2010.
- Farish SE, et al. General technique of third molar removal. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America. 2007;19:23.
- Postextraction problems. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. Accessed Feb. 22, 2010.
- Dental anxiety. American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/public/topics/anxiety.asp. Accessed March 3, 2010.
- Carr AB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 10, 2010.
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