Complications of wisdom tooth impaction
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause several problems in the mouth, including: Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or raise the risk of infection in that area. This pressure also can cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth. Cysts. Wisdom teeth develop in sacs within the jawbone. The sacs can fill with fluid, forming cysts that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves. Rarely, a tumor develops. This type of tumor is usually noncancerous, also called benign. But tissue and bone may need to be taken out due to this problem. Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of getting cavities compared toother teeth. This is because the position of wisdom teeth when they are impacted makes them harder to clean. Also, food and bacteria can get trapped easily between the gum and a partially erupted tooth. Gum disease. It's hard to clean impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth. So you're more likely to get a painful, inflammatory gum condition called pericoronitis (per-ih-kor-o-NI-tis) in those areas.