What Happens When Wisdom Teeth Are Impacted?

Evan Bumbera • January 23, 2023
A woman is holding an ice pack to her face.

Wisdom teeth are your third molars that develop at the back of your mouth. They will grow abnormally when they don’t have enough space to develop. They can fail to erupt completely or partially. Impacted wisdom teeth will cause dental issues as brushing and flossing them is problematic.

Signs Of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

The impacted teeth might not cause apparent signs and symptoms in some cases. However, when the teeth are infected, they will damage adjacent teeth and cause dental issues. Some of the first symptoms of infected wisdom teeth include swollen gums, tender gums, bad breath, swelling, difficulty and pain when opening your mouth.

What Are The Causes Of The Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are impacted when your mouth does not have enough room to erupt. In most cases, your mouth can be too crowded to offer a suitable environment for the third molars to develop normally. The impacted tooth may emerge partially; in this case, the crown is the only part visible. In other cases, the tooth may completely not break through your gums, fully impacted.

Common Complications Of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

The impacted wisdom teeth will cause various dental complications in your mouth. Since the teeth grow at an abnormal angle, they will cause damage to the adjacent teeth. The wisdom teeth will push against your second molar and damage or make it susceptible to infections. The impacted teeth can also cause overcrowding.


Another common complication is the development of cysts on the jawbone. The cysts can damage your teeth, jawbone, and nerves.


To prevent such problems, an experienced and skilled Las Vegas dentist may recommend drainage of the cysts.


The abnormally erupted teeth will make your teeth susceptible to decay. The teeth are hard to clean and will cause the development of dental caries and, in severe cases, decay and gum diseases.

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