Causes of wisdom tooth impaction
Wisdom teeth become impacted because they don't have enough room to come in or develop in the usual way. Wisdom teeth usually emerge sometime between the ages of 17 and 26. Some people have wisdom teeth that emerge behind the second molars without any problems and line up with the other teeth. But in many cases, the mouth is too crowded for proper development of third molars. These crowded third molars become impacted. An impacted wisdom tooth may partially emerge so that some of the crown is visible. This is called a partially impacted wisdom tooth. If the tooth never breaks through the gums, it's called a fully impacted wisdom tooth. Whether partially or fully impacted, the tooth may: Grow at an angle toward the next tooth, which is the second molar. Grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth. Grow at a right angle to the other teeth, as if the wisdom tooth is "lying down" within the jawbone. Grow straight up or down like other teeth but stay trapped within the jawbone.