There is often some discomfort or pain associated with an impacted tooth, though not always. Even when there are no symptoms present, the risks associated with an impacted tooth can be serious, and if your dentist recommends treating your impacted tooth, make sure to follow their guidance and suggested timeline. Sometimes, impaction can affect teeth toward the front of the mouth; in these cases, your dentist will recommend a combination of oral surgery, orthodontic treatment, and, if needed, restorative dentistry to repair the impacted tooth and restore the appearance and functionality of the dentition. More commonly, the wisdom teeth become impacted. The last teeth to emerge into an adult’s mouth, wisdom teeth are located far in the rear corners of the mouth, where they may lack sufficient room to comfortably emerge. Impacted wisdom teeth might remain completely embedded within the gum tissue, or one or more wisdom teeth may start to emerge before becoming trapped by adjacent teeth and bone. These partly impacted teeth are particularly prone to infection, which can form under the flap of gum that protects the embedded portion of the tooth as bacteria accumulate in the hidden recesses of the tooth.
It’s also not uncommon for partly impacted wisdom teeth to grow in at odd angles or in the wrong direction, compromising the safety of the adjacent teeth and increasing the likelihood of tooth decay. This isn’t the only health risk impacted wisdom teeth can pose, however. Because of their location in the far reaches of the mouth, the wisdom teeth are particularly difficult to clean; when they have only partially emerged, keeping them clean is even more challenging. Even fully impacted wisdom teeth – those that remain completely lodged within the gums – can present symptoms and should be monitored regularly with dental x-rays and addressed promptly if symptoms arise. These symptoms could include redness and swelling in the gum tissue, bleeding gum tissue, pain or discomfort in the jaw, headache, and bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth. With your attention to possible symptoms and periodic dental examinations, it’s possible to detect and intercept an impacted tooth before symptoms even arise. Without prompt treatment, however, an impacted tooth is likely to cause increased pain and could lead to infection in the oral and dental tissues. If this infection is allowed to persist unchecked, it can migrate elsewhere, traveling into the sinuses and possibly even entering the vital organs, where it poses life-threatening risks.
The optimal method for treating an impacted wisdom tooth is extraction. Your oral surgeon will explain your wisdom tooth extraction procedure beforehand and make sure you’re comfortable with your prescribed aftercare routine. If your impacted tooth is infected, you may be treated with oral antibiotics before extraction, to remove the threat of infection spreading or reappearing. While some impacted teeth remain asymptomatic and can stay in place in the mouth for years, only a dentist can determine the safety of leaving an impacted tooth in place, and only a dentist can accurately evaluate the condition of the impacted tooth to recommend treatment when it does become necessary. Make sure you see your dentist for routine exams and scheduled x-rays, and call your dentist right away if you suspect an impacted tooth or any other dental concern; early intervention could make a huge difference in your health.
