Many dental problems can be bothersome and impact the quality of life in some way or the other. Impacted teeth are a common yet painful condition, particularly the impacted wisdom tooth, which can bring a person to extreme pain. Below in this article, an overview of the impacted tooth is discussed. This includes an explanation of the condition, causes, problems, and solutions.
What is an impacted tooth?
It is defined as overcrowding of teeth, leaving little space for new ones to arise. This occurs when the baby tooth falls, and the adult tooth is not yet ready to grow. Normally, the baby tooth starts to fall when the adult tooth beneath it is ready to grow. This means that the tooth is stuck in the gum or the bone. This leaves a space, which will cause movement of the other teeth in it.
Causes of impacted teeth
- Crowded teeth: Overcrowding of teeth will not give adequate space for the adult tooth to emerge, leading to its impaction.
- Gum disease: As the teeth emerge from the gum any diseases in the gum will affect its emergence.
- Abnormal shape of the jaw: The jaw might be too small, and thus, there’s no place for the tooth to emerge. Teeth will become twisted, tilted, or displaced as they try to emerge
Wisdom teeth impaction
There are the molars at the back of the mouth. They are the last adult teeth to emerge, around 17-21 years of age. This is a relatively late age for them to emerge. By this time, the jaw has already stopped growing and can’t fit into them.
The impacted wisdom tooth can be one of two types, either soft or hard impaction. A soft impacted tooth means that the tooth broke from the jaw but hasn’t emerged from the soft tissue yet. A hard, impacted tooth means that the tooth is still underneath the jaw and the gum.
Types of Impacted Tooth
According to the position of the impacted tooth, it can be divided into four types.
- Mesial impaction: it is the most common type, where the tooth is forward facing.
- Distal impaction: the tooth is backward-facing
- Vertical impaction: the tooth is in the correct position; however can’t emerge
- Horizontal impaction: it is lying on the side, trapped within the gum. This is the most painful type.
Symptoms of impacted tooth
Impacted teeth usually don’t cause any pesky complaints that can make resort to seeing a doctor. In these cases, usually, no treatment is needed. However, when they cause symptoms, they can be bothersome. Knowing the symptoms can be an important step in recognizing the root cause and seeking dental care.
1) Pain: many people might wonder, ‘What does impacted tooth pain feel like?’. It can be a bother in two different ways.
- Headache: it can be different to differentiate between it and other types of headaches. This one can be made worse by chewing, as it puts more pressure on your impacted tooth
- Earache: the inflamed gum irritates the nerve supplying the ear, causing pain
- Difficulty or pain while opening your jaw: due to the tooth being lodged in the jaw, it can be a hindrance to the normal motion of the jaw joint.
2) Red, swollen, or bleeding gums: Due to the buried tooth trying to emerge, it can cause pressure on your gum. This can cause it to be thinned out and injured. Your gums will be more liable to get infected and bleed.
3) Bad breath and an unpleasant taste while biting near the impacted area due to the gum being infected with smelly plaques lodged in between the teeth.
4) Infection and its symptoms: Infection can occur due to food remnants pooling around the site of the impacted tooth. This will cause the bacteria to gather and cause an infection. The infected and impacted tooth can cause you to feel pain around it. You can also complain of a sore throat or swollen lymph glands. This can be due to the spread of infection. In this case, a course of antibiotics might be prescribed by your dentist to fight off the infection.
5) Visible gap where the tooth didn’t emerge: This can be visually unpleasant and can cause many people to seek out braces and aligners to straighten their teeth.
How to diagnose an impacted tooth
As aforementioned, most impacted teeth are symptom-free. However, when they become pesky, people usually resort to going to the dentist. The dentist will start by examining your mouth, gums, and lymph glands. This is to examine the presence of any infection or inflammation. Then, a dental x-ray of the teeth and jaw can be performed to confirm the presence of the impacted tooth.
How to treat an impacted tooth
There are various treatment options to manage an impacted tooth.
1) Observation
If the impacted tooth is not too worrisome, simply observing it for any changes might be the way to go. In case of pain, many home remedies and over-the-counter drugs can be a great way to improve the pain Aspirin can improve the pain. Home remedies can also be a great alternative.
For instance, putting ice around the inflamed gum can cause the swelling to go down by causing your blood vessels to constrict. In addition, swooshing the mouth with salt and warm water can make the pain go away.
2) Extraction
Removal of the impacted tooth is an easy in-office procedure. Local anesthesia is given, which will make you lose sensation at the site of the tooth.
An experienced dentist can swiftly and painfully remove the tooth with minimal problems. At DentalSpa, we offer the most experienced dentists with top-notch materials and facilities.
Conclusion
Impacted teeth can be a bothersome dental condition. The condition can be caused by multiple factors, and it can also be hereditary. Usually, they are asymptomatic, but even with the symptoms, with proper care, it can be easily managed.
If you’re experiencing any symptoms or have concerns about impacted teeth, take the first step towards relief. Book an appointment with DentaSpa today, and let our experienced team ensure your journey to a pain-free smile.
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