Impacted Teeth

Impacted teeth are the ones that fail to erupt either completely or partially. Generally the third molars commonly known as the wisdom teeth are impacted, followed by the canines.

An impacted tooth remains stuck in gum tissue or bone for various reasons. It may be that the area is just overcrowded and there's no room for the teeth to emerge. For example, the jaw may be too small to fit the wisdom teeth. Teeth may also become twisted, tilted, or displaced as they try to emerge, resulting in impacted teeth.

Impacted teeth are often painless and cause no apparent trouble. However, some professionals believe an impacted tooth pushes on the next tooth, which pushes the next tooth, eventually causing a misalignment of the bite. A partially emerged tooth can trap food, plaque, and other debris in the soft tissue around it, leading to inflammation and tenderness of the gums and unpleasant mouth odor. This is called pericoronitis.It is usually treated with antibiotics. But if the problem assumes a recurrent nature then the impacted tooth has to be removed.

Symptoms :

• Bad breath
• Difficulty opening the mouth (occasionally)
• Pain or tenderness of the gums (gingiva) or jaw bone
• Prolonged headache or jaw ache
• Redness and swelling of the gums around the impacted tooth
• Cheek bite or tongue bite
• Swollen lymph nodes of the neck (occasionally)
• Unpleasant taste when biting down on or near the area
• Visible gap where a tooth did not emerge

Treatment :

• treatment may be needed if the impacted tooth is not causing any problems.
• Over-the-counter pain relievers may help if the impacted tooth causes discomfort. Warm salt water (one-half teaspoon of salt in one cup of water) or over-the-counter mouthwashes may be soothing to the gums.
• Removal of the tooth (extraction) is the usual treatment for an impacted tooth. This is usually done in the dentist's office, but difficult cases may require an oral surgeon. Antibiotics may be prescribed before the extraction if the tooth is infected.