Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third pair of molars that appear during the late teens or thereafter. These are 4 in number. In some people, they may not appear at all.

An Impacted Wisdom Teeth are those wisdom teeth which do not emerge completely at their expected positions, due to a variety of reasons. This may happen when there is not enough space in the jaw to accommodate these teeth, or because the angle of the tooth's emergence is not correct.

Types of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

When the wisdom tooth is angled forward, towards the front of the mouth, it is known as a Mesial Impaction of the Wisdom tooth.

When the wisdom tooth is angled vertically, it is called a Vertical Impaction of the Wisdom tooth. When this happens, the tooth sinks into the jawbone.

When the wisdom tooth is angled horizontally, it is called a Horizontal Impaction of the Wisdom tooth. When this happens, the wisdom tooth grows below the gums, and moves towards the roots of the neighboring tooth.

When the wisdom tooth is angled so that it goes back into the jaw, it is called a Distal Impaction of the Wisdom tooth.

Reasons for Removal of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

When you have Impacted Wisdom teeth symptoms of infection often appear because of food particles being stuck into the flaps of the gum. There may also be pressure on the neighboring tooth which may cause pain. Gum disease and its relevant complications are often the main cause for the removal of Impacted wisdom teeth.

The type of impaction can be ascertained by getting an x-ray of the area.

Often the jaw may be able to contain the wisdom teeth and they may have emerged properly, but these wisdom teeth are susceptible to decay and cavities. This is because the wisdom teeth are at the absolute end of the jaw. It may not be easy or possible to clean that area of the jaw properly, all the time. This may put the nearby teeth to a great risk. In this case, a dentist may also suggest a surgical removal procedure.