Do Wisdom Teeth Need to Come Out Before Clear Aligners?

It's one of the most common questions at a clear aligner consultation: 'Do I need to get my wisdom teeth out first?' The short answer is usually no — but it depends on why the teeth might need to come out and how they affect your treatment plan.

Many people believe erupting wisdom teeth push the front teeth together. Research has not shown wisdom teeth to be the main cause of front-tooth crowding. Crowding that develops in adulthood is linked to several factors — natural forward drift of teeth, changes in the jaws with age, and lip and tongue pressure — and it happens in people who never had wisdom teeth too.

• The wisdom teeth are impacted, partially erupted, or repeatedly infected.
• There's decay or gum disease around them that can't be kept clean.
• Your treatment plan moves the back teeth backward, and the wisdom teeth are in the way.
• An oral surgeon or dentist has already recommended removal for health reasons.

In these situations, extraction is a decision about your oral health or your treatment mechanics, not a general rule for everyone getting aligners.

• They're fully erupted, healthy and easy to clean.
• They're positioned so they won't interfere with the movements in your plan.
• They're deeply buried and not causing problems, and your surgeon recommends monitoring.

Aligners can be designed to cover erupted wisdom teeth or to stop just in front of them. If a wisdom tooth is still coming in during treatment, the back edge of your aligner may need to be adjusted so it doesn't press on the erupting tooth. Your provider will factor this into your plan from the start.

If removal is recommended, it's often done before aligners are made so the scan reflects your mouth after healing. Sometimes it's timed during treatment instead. Your provider and oral surgeon will coordinate the order.

X-rays are the only way to know where your wisdom teeth are and how they relate to your roots and treatment plan. An Infinity Aligner certified provider will review them at your consultation and tell you whether they matter for your case.