Wisdom teeth are the four permanent adult teeth located at the back corners of your mouth on the top and bottom.

If a wisdom tooth doesn't have room to grow, pain, infection or other dental problems may occur and will result in you most likely needing to have it pulled. Wisdom tooth extraction are performed by an oral surgeon.

To prevent potential future problems, oral surgeons recommend wisdom tooth extraction even if impacted teeth aren't currently causing problems. Wisdom teeth are a person’s third molars, the last to erupt in the mouth. Wisdom teeth erupt between the ages of 17 and 25 for most people, but for others they never develop.

Many people develop impacted wisdom teeth — teeth that don't have enough room to erupt into the mouth or develop normally. An impacted wisdom tooth may grow at an angle toward the next tooth, grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth or grow towards the other teeth, as if the wisdom tooth is lying down within the jawbone.