Deciding when to have wisdom teeth removed

Impacted wisdom teeth usually erupt as far toward the surface as they can before the roots are fully formed. They come up against the backs of the second molars, but can go no farther. This frequently happens at about age 16 or 17, and these ages can be the best time to remove impacted wisdom teeth. Here are some of the reasons.

• The thick sacs that often surround the crowns of developing wisdom teeth make them easier to remove. But after the roots have formed, these sacs usually become smaller, and sometimes disappear. This makes extraction more difficult.
• The roots of the wisdom teeth have not become curved and twisted yet. Fully formed curved roots often can complicate the removal.