Is My Tooth Impacted?
Impacted teeth are teeth that are partly or completely stuck inside the bone or gum tissue and cannot properly emerge into their proper positions in the mouth. There are a variety of causes for tooth impaction, and there are different treatment methods that correspond with the cause, type of impaction, and location of the affected tooth or teeth. In some cases, an impacted tooth can be left alone, though many impacted teeth can cause health issues or cosmetic concerns if left untreated. While there are genetic causes for some tooth impactions, most of the time when a tooth is impacted, it is because there is some sort of obstruction preventing the tooth from emerging. This could be a primary tooth that hasn’t fallen out yet, or it could be permanent teeth that have already emerged and have left insufficient room for additional teeth. It’s possible to have impacted primary teeth or impacted secondary teeth, and it’s also possible to have only one impacted tooth or to have several.
Impacted teeth might not cause any issues, but they should be closely and regularly monitored by a dentist to make sure they’re treated when and if the time comes. This treatment might entail repositioning the tooth with orthodontic techniques or extracting the tooth. Of course, if you have an impacted tooth that isn’t causing any problems, you might not even know the tooth is impacted, especially if your secondary teeth are still emerging and you still have primary teeth. One sign of a possible impaction is if the tooth is noticeably missing from the dentition, or if it is partially visible at the gum line but won’t grow in completely. Your dentist or orthodontist can pinpoint the position of an impacted tooth using x-rays and can monitor the progress of the tooth over time, determining whether treatment is necessary and deciding on the best course of treatment based on each unique case.
Other possible signs of an impacted tooth could include bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth; redness, swelling, tenderness, or pain in the gums; visibly missing teeth or gaps in the teeth; aches in the jaw, neck, or head; and difficulty or pain in opening the mouth, biting, chewing, or swallowing. If you still have primary teeth and they seem delayed in falling out, or if they fall out prematurely, these may also be signs of an impacted tooth. If your teeth are crowded, a visit with an orthodontist may be necessary to determine whether any teeth are impacted or have grown improperly, as the specific position and angle of each tooth might be difficult to determine without a professional examination.
While some impacted teeth never cause any issues, only a dental professional can accurately determine whether you have impacted teeth and what the proper course of treatment might be, which underscores the importance of regular dental visits. If immediate treatment isn’t necessary, your dentist will monitor the condition of your impacted teeth and recommend treatment should the situation change. Some of the complications that can arise from impacted teeth include infection, cosmetic concerns, tooth decay and tooth loss, problems with tooth alignment and bite, gum disease, and damage to existing teeth, and treatment involves either extracting the affected tooth or teeth or using orthodontic appliances to reposition the impacted tooth or teeth and realign the dentition.