Impacted wisdom teeth are common. An impacted wisdom tooth is a tooth that remains embedded in the gum or bone even after its normal eruption time. The Impacted wisdom tooth at the earlier stages when it is completely embedded are painless and do not create any major problem. When the impacted wisdom teeth emerge out of the gum, there begins the pain. Pain could also be felt in nearby teeth, cheek and in the ear on the side of the impacted teeth.

There are four wisdom teeth two on top and two in the bottom, one in each corner. These are the third molars, which are last to sprout. One of the reasons for an impacted wisdom tooth could be overcrowding of the teeth because of the small jaw.

Swelling of the gums, bad breath, difficulty in opening the jaw, bad taste in the mouth, headache and pain when chewing and biting are some of the symptoms that come with impacted wisdom teeth. Sometimes, the pain could disappear after a few days to come back again. Once you have felt these symptoms, it is better to consult the dentist.

According to the position, dentists have classified the impacted wisdom teeth as mesial or angular impaction, distal impaction, vertical impaction and horizontal impaction. The wisdom teeth that are angled towards the front of the mouth are the mesial or angular impaction. When the wisdom teeth are impacted towards the throat, it is the distal impaction. When impacted towards the head, it is the vertical impaction and when the impaction is sideways, it is the horizontal impaction.

The impacted wisdom teeth are named as soft-tissue impaction, partial-bony impaction and complete-bony impaction in accordance with the angle of impaction. The soft-tissue impaction is when the gum covers the tooth. In partial-bony impaction, the tooth is covered by the gum and some of the jawbone. When the gum and the entire jawbone cover the tooth, it is the complete bony impaction.

Are impact wisdom teeth dangerous and should be removed at the earliest? This is what most of the people ask. Bacteria can accumulate in the gum, which can become infectious. Well, an impacted wisdom tooth can bring in problems like crowding, gum inflammation, cyst, cellulites and numbness. In some cases, the infection could lead to other health problems.

In the earlier stages, rinsing with warm salt water can relieve you of the pain. If the tooth continues to cause pain, it is better to consult your dentist.

The conservative and surgical treatments are the two ways by which you can treat your impacted wisdom teeth. If the impacted teeth aren’t causing much problem, then there is no need to go for the surgical treatment. The conservative treatment is chosen by people who can’t remove their teeth because of some health problems. Mouth washes and pain killers prescribed by your dentist are helpful.

When the teeth is two third of the fully developed sizes, it is better to go for surgical removal of the wisdom tooth. In modern times, tooth extraction is very common and nothing to fear. While removing the impacted teeth, an incision is made in the gum, which creates a flap. This is peeled off and the impacted tooth is removed. Partially impacted wisdom teeth are easy to remove. But when completely impacted and if the roots have gone deep into the jawbone, the teeth is broken into pieces and then removed. Sometimes portions of jawbone are also removed if the case is severe.

Once after the surgery, you could have swelling in the cheeks and the jaws and might be hard to eat some solid foods. But it is just for a matter of time. Drink liquids and eat only soft food soon after the surgery for some days. Most of the time, you can recover quickly in a span of few days. But if you experience fever, pain in the gums or swelling, it is better to consult the dentist; do not delay.

If you have problem of impacted teeth, it is better to treat it early; otherwise, it could lead to serious problems. But still, people have some fear for tooth extraction. With ultra modern equipment, your oral or maxillofacial surgeon will extract the tooth with ease. Normally, you will not come across any complications.