Generally, there is not enough room in the jaw for wisdom teeth. As a result, wisdom teeth come in on an angle or remain stuck in the jaw. Decay often develops as they are very difficult to keep clean. Sometimes, an infection will start to develop if the wisdom tooth is unable to fully come in. We generally recommend checking wisdom teeth development between 16 and 18 years old with a special panoramic x-ray that shows the entire upper and lower jaws. Treatment is sometimes recommended before decay or infection start. It is always easier to extract the wisdom teeth before they become broken down or infected.
