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Wisdom teeth can be impacted but still not bother you. If your wisdom teeth aren't causing problems, you may not need to have them taken out. But it's hard to say for sure what will happen in the future.

There's not enough good research to say for sure what will happen.

• You may never get any symptoms from them at all. Many impacted wisdom teeth never cause problems.
• Your impacted wisdom teeth may eventually grow normally.¹
• On the other hand, you may get a problem in the future, like an infection, a cavity or gum disease. Sometimes impacted wisdom teeth can damage nearby teeth and bone.²

If you do need to have one or more of your wisdom teeth removed, the younger you are the better. This is because you might recover faster from the operation when you are younger.³

• The surgery can cause pain and swelling.
• This can keep you out of work or school for several days.
• There's also a risk of more permanent problems.

To learn more about the risks of surgery, see Removing impacted wisdom teeth that aren't causing problems.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.