Most people are unfamiliar with dental terms or do not have a strong understanding of what certain dental issues mean or treatment required. Dental impaction is one such term.
This refers to wisdom teeth when they are unable to come in. Wisdom teeth are a type of molar located at the back of the mouth that usually erupt during the late teenage years or early twenties.
Most people have their wisdom teeth removed. An impacted wisdom tooth is one that has not fully erupted. There are several reasons why a tooth becomes impacted and the tooth must be removed, no matter the reasoning.
Failure to Erupt
A wisdom tooth can fail to erupt due to several reasons. First, there may not be enough room for the tooth to come in due to the jaw spacing. The tooth may also be obstructed by other teeth, unable to come in correctly. The angulation of the tooth may also be improper. Your teeth will need to be reviewed to determine if the wisdom teeth are impacted and removal scheduled if needed.
Types of Impacted Teeth
There are different types of impacted teeth, with classifications used based on the position of the tooth. Mesial is a term used to describe a tooth that is angled forward towards the front of the mouth.
This is the most common way that teeth are impacted. A vertical impaction is another type, one where the tooth is relatively normal in alignment. Horizontal impaction is when a tooth is lying horizontally in the mouth. Distal is another way a tooth is impacted. With this term, it means that the tooth is angled towards the back of the mouth.
When it comes to impacted teeth, it is important to have the tooth or teeth reviewed. If you begin to feel pain in the back of the mouth, it is a clear sign an impacted tooth may exist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for your teeth to be checked.