wisdom teeth The Wisdom teeth are the large teeth (molars) at the back of the mouth. There are four in total, two at the top and two at the bottom of the mouth at the end of each line of teeth. Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to develop. They appear in the mouth between the ages of 18-24 and may develop in the jaw but never appear in the mouth.  Wisdom Teeth Problems Below are listed common problems associated with wisdom teeth:  Dull aching pain in mouth. Earache.  Stiff Jaw or difficulty opening mouth fully. Problems may arise when you see a tooth starting (or trying) to push through the gum into the mouth as it is often possible to see all or part of the wisdom tooth.  This is often accompanied by pain and swelling aroud the wisdom tooth, sometimes associated with an unplesent taste or bad smelling discharge.  Eruption of the wisdom teeth can be painful (aka teething). These teeth may take a long time to fully emerge and often the symptoms are relieved by your normal pain killers and warm salt-water mouthwashes.  Wisdom teeth do not always cause problems but typical problems associated with partially emerged wisdom teeth are: Frequent swelling and tenderness Constant pain Limited mouth opening Bad breath Unpleasant taste in the mouth. Do Wisdom Teeth Have An Affect On Other Teeth? To date there is no scientific evidence to support the fact that wisdom teeth cause tooth crowding, in fact it's believed to be a natural phenomenon that occurs whether the wisdom teeth are present or not. Reasons for Removal of Wisdom Teeth Constant pain Recurrent infections Tooth decay Abscess Gum disease Many wisdom teeth can be simply removed under local anaesthetic. However some are complicated and need to be referred to a specialist This is because there are the risks associated with any dental proceedure bleeding, swelling, infection. Also particularly with the wisdom teeth in the lower jaw there is a possible risk of nerve damage. In approximately 10-12% of people there will be altered sensation or numbness for a number of days. About 1% of people will experience numbness for some weeks or, very rarely, this is permanent. There are also risks to damaging other teeth. If you want to know how much you'll have to pay for the most common treatments - visit this page.