You may need to have a tooth extracted for any one of a number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed, others because they have suffered the effects of advanced periodontal disease ("gum disease"). Some teeth need to be extracted because they have broken in a fashion that makes it impossible to repair them. Teeth may need to be removed because they are positioned in the mouth inappropriately (such as impacted wisdom teeth), or else in preparation for orthodontic treatment ("braces").

"Wisdom teeth" are a type of molar. Molars are the chewing teeth found furthest in the back of the mouth. Most humans have first, second, and third molars.

A person's third molars are their wisdom teeth. These teeth come in behind the 2nd molars (if there is room for them and they are aligned properly) usually during a person's late teens or early twenties. Usually there are four wisdom teeth: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right.

In dental terminology an "impacted tooth" refers to a tooth that has failed to emerge fully into its expected position. This failure to erupt properly may occur either because there is not room enough in the jaw for the tooth, or because the angulations of the tooth is improper.

A primary cause of wisdom tooth impaction is simply that there is inadequate jawbone space behind the person's second molar. Why this lack of space exists is not fully understood, however there does seem to be a correlation between large tooth size, tooth crowding, and the presence of impacted wisdom teeth.

Pericoronitis is an infection surrounding a wisdom tooth.

The term pericoronitis specifically refers to an infection located in the tissues that surround a tooth that has not fully emerged through the gums and into its proper position i.e. is "partially erupted".

This means that if just a portion of a wisdom tooth has poked its way through the gums an opening will have been created that connects the space that lies between the gums and the crown of the submerged wisdom tooth Dental plaque will accumulate in this space and, unfortunately, there is no way for a person to effectively clean it out. As a result from time to time the bacteria contained in the dental plaque can cause an active infection, which then spreads to the tissues surrounding the wisdom tooth. leading to pericoronitis.

The signs of pericoronitis are tenderness and swelling in the gums surrounding a wisdom tooth. There can also be severe pain, an unpleasant mouth odor, and even a bad taste coming from the infected area.

[RETURN TO FAQ INDEX]