A fairly common surgical procedure in dental practice is the removal of impacted or semi-impacted wisdom teeth. A tooth that has not developed normally, as a result of which it does not erupt and remains inside the gum, is called an embedded tooth. The tooth that has not developed normally, but a part of it has appeared in the mouth, is called a semi-occluded tooth.

The teeth that in the vast majority of cases remain occluded or semi-occluded are wisdom teeth. The normal time of eruption for wisdom teeth is between about 17 and 24 years of age. But because by then all the other teeth have already developed normally, there may not be enough space in the back of the jaw for the wisdom teeth to emerge smoothly.

This can cause a number of problems such as:

• Peristephanitis One of the frequent clinical problems encountered with semi-erupted wisdom teeth is a local gingival infection around the partially erupted wisdom tooth. This spot is difficult to clean with brushing, which favors the accumulation of microbes and the development of inflammation in the gum tissue. The result is periodic pain, swelling, redness, bad breath and problems with chewing.
• Caries – Periodontal problems: The accumulation of bacteria in an area that is difficult to clean effectively, makes semi-occluded wisdom teeth more susceptible to caries and also to infection of the periodontal tissues (gum – bone). The same happens when a wisdom tooth has erupted at an angle, resulting in the creation of foci of germs at a point where the toothbrush cannot reach. The problems are likely to extend to the adjacent tooth.
• Damage to adjacent teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth can be so positioned below the gums that they press on the root of the adjacent bank and cause damage.
• Orthodontic problems. When the wisdom tooth tries to erupt, it can cause movement of the rest of the teeth in the bar and consequently a crowding problem. If orthodontic treatment has preceded during adolescence, wisdom teeth may jeopardize its therapeutic effect.
• Cysts. Cysts can develop around an impacted wisdom tooth that gradually grow and destroy the jawbone.