Wisdom teeth are extracted which cause complications for the patient:
- Those that grow uncontrolled due to lack of space and cause the other teeth to move.
- These are difficult to access for brushing and become a real nest of bacteria with a high risk of caries.
- If the gum tissue around the wisdom teeth becomes swollen and infected (pericoronitis).
They are not systematically removed as a preventive measure, except sometimes in adolescents as part of orthodontic treatment before the roots have finished growing. Usually the extraction is done between 20 and 25 years of age.