Learn About Impacted Teeth from Our Lenoir General Dentist
As new teeth grow in, especially the wisdom teeth, they sometimes become impacted in the jaw. An impacted tooth is a common dental problem, but it sometimes can have painful symptoms and usually requires surgery for treatment.
What are impacted teeth?
Impacted wisdom teeth are unable to grow normally or emerge from the jaw. This can result in pain, and it can damage the surrounding teeth. Sometimes, they can have more severe effects, such as:
- Cysts in the jawbone
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
Partially impacted wisdom teeth sometimes still emerge from the jaw, but because of their location in the mouth, they can be difficult to clean, which results in dental problems.
What causes teeth to become impacted?
For the majority of people, the mouth is too small to accommodate the wisdom teeth, so the wisdom teeth can’t grow normally. Impacted teeth occur when wisdom teeth become trapped as they try to grow. This sometimes results in the teeth staying completely within the jawbone, and it sometimes results in the teeth growing at an angle.
What are some common symptoms?
Not everyone shows symptoms when they experience impacted wisdom teeth. Some common symptoms, though, are:
- Swollen or bleeding gums
- Pain in the jaw
- Bad breath or an unpleasant taste in the mouth
- Trouble opening the mouth
How is the condition treated?
If your teeth are impacted, you will likely need to undergo dental surgery to remove them. During the dental surgery, you will receive either local anesthesia or sedation anesthesia. Then, the oral surgeon will make an incision in your gums, remove the tooth, and stitch up the incision.
After the surgery, you will probably need a few days to recover. Swelling and some bleeding is normal, and your surgeon will advise you to use cold compresses and take pain medication.
If you’re worried that you may have an impacted tooth, or if you have more questions about oral surgery, contact our Lenoir dentist office today. Our Lenoir dentists will answer all your questions and provide you with more information.
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