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They are the most posterior teeth in the oral cavity and usually come through (erupt) after the age of 16-18. When there is not sufficient space in the mouth they may not come through at all, they may remain impacted (in the jaw), or they may erupt partially (partial eruption).
Due to their posterior position in the mouth, they are hard to brush which means that they can be easily affected by caries. Semi-impacted wisdom teeth tend to pack food. This makes them a breeding ground for bacteria which may cause infections (pericoronitis).
Your dentist will prescribe antibiotics to help relieve the symptoms of pericoronitis. Pericoronitis often presents regular remissions, which means that antibiotics are prescribed as temporary treatment. Permanent treatment is achieved with the removal of the source of the inflammation, in other words with the extraction of the wisdom tooth.
The extraction procedure is easier and involves a lower risk of adverse complications when performed on younger rather than older patients.
