Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last of the permanent adult teeth to come in. Some people’s wisdom teeth never fully erupt and can be impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth do not have enough room to fully erupt through the gums. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain in the jaw, damage to other teeth, and other dental problems or even sinus issues. If you are experiencing dental problems, your Dentist may recommend that you have them removed by an Oral Surgeon. You may even be advised to have treatment if you do not have symptoms simply to avoid future issues.

While some patients never experience any symptoms for impacted wisdom teeth while others experience some of the following:

  • Jaw pain
  • Swelling at the jaw
  • Difficulty or pain opening your mouth
  • Red or swollen gums
  • Tender or bleeding gums
  • Bad breath and an unpleasant taste in your mouth

What causes an impacted wisdom tooth?

If the wisdom teeth do not have enough room to erupt and develop normally, this causes impaction. Typically between the ages of 17 and 25, the wisdom teeth will begin to emerge. Some patients have no trouble when their wisdom teeth come in and they fall in line with the rest of their teeth just fine. However, in most cases, wisdom tooth development causes crowding in the rest of the teeth.

A fully impacted wisdom tooth never breaks through the gum surface but sometimes, just the crown of the tooth is visible. This is a partially impacted wisdom tooth. Wisdom teeth may grow at an angle pressing on the tooth in front of it or at an angle to the back of the mouth. Sometimes they even develop at a right angle to all of the other teeth and in an x-ray, can be seen lying on their side within the jawbone. Wisdom teeth can also grow straight as they should but remain trapped within the job bone.

Complications with Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to other dental issues including:

  • Gum disease: Properly cleaning a partially impacted wisdom tooth is very difficult and can increase the risk of developing painful, inflamed gum in that area.
  • Cysts: The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. With impaction, the sac can fill with fluid and form a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth, and nerves.
  • Decay: Since partially impacted wisdom are so difficult to clean, they are at a higher risk for decay and can even spread decay to the other healthy teeth that they abut.
  • Damage to other teeth: If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar in front of it, it may cause damage or increase the risk of infection in that area.

Preventing Impaction

Unfortunately, you cannot stop a wisdom tooth from becoming impacted. To keep everything in check, see your Dentist regularly for your cleanings and check-ups. If you find that you are experiencing any of the symptoms we listed above, let your Dentist know as soon as possible.

More on Wisdom Teeth Removal : Complications with Wisdom Teeth Extraction