What are impacted teeth?
Each tooth is formed within your jawbones. As it develops, it travels upwards or downwards, and erupts into its appropriate place in your dental arch. This is normal and except for mild discomfort when a tooth is erupting, all will be well. If the tooth travels in the wrong direction, if its progress is blocked by another tooth, or if it is stuck in dense bony structures of your jaw, the tooth becomes impacted.

Decay can occur even though an impacted tooth is not visible in the mouth, bacteria normally present in the mouth can often reach the crown of an impacted tooth. When decay does occur, there is no way for a dentist to fill such a cavity and severe pain will result.

Infection can occur around the crown of the tooth. With any infection that is unchecked, it may spread to the face, neck or throat tissues with the potential of general body illness.

Resorption of other teeth or the bone supporting them can occur. This has to do with the pressure the impacted tooth produces by pressing on those good teeth that have erupted. This pressure may injure the roots of good teeth or it may crowd the other teeth and affect your ability to chew food normally.

What is the Operation like? The removal of an impacted tooth is a minor surgical operation, lasting 5 to 30 minutes. It often requires incision of the gum, cutting the tooth and probably some removal of bone too. The oral surgeon may provide anesthesia options of nitrous oxide (laughing gas), intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia to make the procedure more relaxing for you.

You will have some swelling and discomfort. Your surgeon will detail other potential complications. You may experience some stiffness in your jaw. There may even be some slight discoloration of the skin. Detailed instructions and medications for home care will be given to you by the surgeon to speed your recovery and minimize difficulties. Healing speed will depend upon the ability of your body to generate tissue.

Must the tooth come out if it hasn't caused trouble yet? The main problem is that no one can tell when an impacted tooth will cause you trouble. About the only thing that can be said is that trouble probably will arise and when it does, it will arrive unexpectedly and at inconvenient times. By waiting, trouble may arise first, then the tooth cannot be removed until the infection or other complications have been treated. This means loss of more time and added expense along with some added risk. It's best to have impacted teeth removed before trouble begins. It is far easier to have the impacted teeth out when you are younger as well.