Wisdom teeth, officially referred to as third molars, are usually the last teeth to develop and are located in the back part of your mouth. They usually complete development between the ages of 20 and 25, a time traditionally associated with the onset of maturity and the attainment of Wisdom.

Since the wisdom teeth are the last to develop, they may not have enough room to adequately erupt into the mouth to become fully functional and cleansable teeth. This lack of room or space can result in a number of harmful effects on your overall dental health.

When this occurs they are said to be impacted, indicating their inability to erupt into an alignment which will allow them to function in the chewing process.

One very limited statistical study indicated that 80% of Caucasian Americans do not have room for their wisdom teeth to erupt properly. Our ancient ancestors, and lower primates of today, have room for all of their teeth. It is theorized that a softer diet over many thousands of years, has caused a change in development. We may have more "wisdom," but less room for those teeth.

There are differing DEGREES OF IMPACTION of wisdom teeth. Some come in OK, but there isn't room to keep them clean. Others are covered by gum tissue only. There are also varying degrees of bone coverage from partial to very deep.

During your consultation appointment Dr. Logue will examine your mouth and your panographic X-ray to determine if wisdom tooth removal would be of benefit to you.

Learn more about Wisdom Teeth...

• Oral Examination
• Removal of Wisdom Teeth
• Post-Operative Instructions for Wisdom Teeth