Crowded or Impacted Teeth

What causes impacted teeth?

An impacted tooth is a tooth that is unable to break through the gums and align with the teeth as normal. Sometimes, impacted teeth are only partially impacted, so a portion of the tooth is able to break through the gums but the full tooth is unexposed. Most commonly, a tooth impaction is caused by overcrowded teeth.

So, what causes overcrowded teeth? Tooth crowding, commonly associated with malocclusion of teeth (improper alignment of the teeth), could be the result of small jaw sizes or genetics. Whatever the cause, when adult teeth begin to grow in during adolescence, there may or may not be enough space for every tooth to break through the gum’s surface and sit evenly along the gum line. When there is not enough space, your teeth can become overcrowded, grow in crooked, or tooth impactions occur.

What does it mean when your teeth are impacted?

The most common teeth to become impacted are the wisdom teeth; however, other teeth can be impacted as well. An impacted tooth refers to a tooth that fails to erupt–or to break the surface and grow in fully alongside the rest of your teeth. Sometimes, a person could have an impacted tooth that they are unaware of for years. It’s important to visit a dentist regularly and undergo x-rays in order to see all of the teeth in your mouth–even those below the gum line.

What does impacted wisdom teeth pain feel like?

In addition to wisdom teeth impaction, you could also experience tooth impaction in any area of the mouth. An impacted tooth may cause the following symptoms:

• Jaw pain
• Gum tenderness
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Gum swelling
• Gum redness
• Headache
• Jaw ache
• Bad breath
• Bad taste in the mouth
• Gaps in teeth

What’s the difference between impacted and embedded teeth?

A similar dental problem is called an embedded tooth. Similar to an impacted tooth, when a person suffers from an embedded tooth, it means that the tooth fails to erupt through the gum’s surface. However, when a tooth is impacted, it is unable to break through the gum’s surface because other teeth are blocking its path. Alternatively, when a person suffers from a tooth that is embedded, the tooth fails to erupt due to a lack of eruptive power. Also called an unerupted tooth, an embedded tooth may also need dental work in order to correct the problem.

How do you treat an impacted tooth?

Sometimes, impacted wisdom teeth do not need to be removed if they are not causing you any problems; however, your dentist might suggest having them removed in order to avoid future problems. If you have an impacted tooth that is in another area of the mouth, you might also be able to fix the problem by correcting overcrowding in your other teeth. Your dentist may recommend braces or a retainer to help create more space for the impacted tooth to erect on its own.

Some of the possible treatments that may be used to correct an impacted tooth include:

• Braces
• Impacted tooth removal surgery

What happens if you leave an impacted tooth?

Impacted teeth require medical treatment from a dentist to avoid complications. Impacted teeth that are left beneath the gums could lead to infection, cysts, or damage to bone support for other teeth. Most dentists recommend that impacted teeth–including impacted wisdom teeth–are removed as early as possible. If you believe you may have an impacted tooth, visit your dentist to discuss removal options as soon as you can.

What are the possible complications of an impacted tooth?

An impacted tooth that has not been properly treated could lead to complications later in life. Some of the possible impacted tooth complications include:

• Periodontal disease
• Nerve damage
• Chronic discomfort
• Tooth infection/Tooth abscess
• Plaque buildup
• Poor alignment of teeth (malocclusion)
• Chronic toothaches
• Trismus

What can you do for impacted tooth pain?

If you’re suffering from pain due to an impacted tooth, your dentist may suggest one of the following remedies to help alleviate your pain:

• • Warm saline solution (salt water)
  • Over-the-counter pain relievers
  • Prescription pain relievers
  • Over-the-counter mouthwashes for gum pain relief