How Serious is an Impacted Tooth?

An impacted tooth can trigger extreme discomfort and other troublesome symptoms. If the impacted tooth is left untreated, it can cause serious side effects and can become life threatening. If you encounter symptoms of an impacted tooth, you need to see your dentist as soon as possible for evaluation and proper treatment.

If a tooth does not erupt, or emerges only partially, it is still considered to be impacted. This most often occurs with the wisdom teeth, the third set of molars. They are always the last teeth to erupt. They usually erupt between the ages of 17 and 21.

An impacted tooth can remain in gum tissue or bone for a variety of reasons. The arch may be overcrowded, leaving no space for the tooth to emerge. Your jaw may be too small to accommodate the wisdom teeth. Teeth can also be twisted, tilted, or displaced as they try to emerge. This will result in impacted teeth.

Symptoms of an Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth does not emerge properly. The most frequent teeth to become impacted are the wisdom teeth, but impaction can happen with any tooth that does not erupt into the correct position. X-rays help determine if teeth are impacted well before any symptoms occur.

Symptoms can include:

  • Redness or swelling of the gums.
  • Your gums are bleeding.
  • A headache or discomfort in your jaw.
  • Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.

Any symptoms of an impacted tooth need to be brought to your dentist’s attention as soon as possible. An impacted tooth can become infected, and the infection can move into your sinuses and even into your brain or the circulatory system. This can advance into heart disease, some brain damage or even death if left untreated.

Treatment for an Impacted Tooth

Most often, the recommended treatment for an impacted tooth is extraction. After evaluation, your dentist will explain the suggested treatment. If the tooth is infected, you may need to take antibiotics for the infection before the tooth can safely be removed.

Sometimes impacted teeth never exhibit any symptoms, causing no difficulty, and do not need to be removed. Have your situation evaluated to see if leaving the teeth in place is likely to cause any problems with the rest of the teeth in the arch.

If you believe you might need the tooth removed, contact your dentist to request an appointment. They will evaluate your tooth and decide an appropriate solution to alleviate your discomfort as soon as possible.

Possible Complications

Complications of an impacted tooth can include:

  • An abscess of the tooth or gum area.
  • An infection.
  • Chronic discomfort in your mouth.
  • Poor alignment of your teeth.
  • Damaging plaque trapped between teeth and gums.
  • Gum disease.
  • Nerve damage if the impacted tooth is near a nerve.

Your Solution for an Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth can result in no problems and may not need treatment. Any treatment is most often successful when the tooth does cause symptoms.

Having the wisdom teeth removed before age 20 most often yields better results than waiting. This is because the roots have not fully developed, making it easier to both remove and to heal. As you age, the roots become longer and curved. The bone becomes more rigid, and complications can therefore develop.

If You Do not remove impacted teeth