Impacted wisdom teeth occur when the third molars erupt through the gums and out into the open. Most people assume that when their wisdom teeth are impacted, they require immediate oral surgery. There are four common types of impaction we see . Depending on which type you experience, it may or may not require surgery and removal.
Understanding the different types of impacted wisdom teeth is helpful. You will know how and when to take immediate action in event it happens to you or your child.
This is the most painful type of impaction to have. The molar lies horizontally and is being pushed into the molar next to it. Picture a very slow-moving bulldozer with a brick tied to the gas pedal. If you suffer from this kind of impaction, you’re going to be in a lot of pain unless you get it taken care of by an experienced Tacoma oral surgeon.
An X-ray can determine if you have horizontal impaction. If so, your dentist is likely going to recommend you go in for oral surgery. If you wait and put it off (or until the pain is too unbearable), then you run the risk having the impacted molar cause damage to the surrounding teeth.
It’s important to find an dedicated oral surgery clinic with experience dealing with this kind of impaction, The potential for ancillary damage is high as the surgeon cannot see the impacted molar without the help of an X-ray. This means that the surgeon is basically flying in the proverbial dark during the surgery.
The procedure should be performed while you are under general anesthesia or IV sedation. After it is over, you’re going to require a prescription for pain killers and maybe even antibiotics to reduce the risk of complications while you heal.
Distal Impaction
Distal impaction is the least common of the four types of impactions. The wisdom tooth is angled towards the back of the mouth. Extraction will depend on the degree of the angle of the tooth. If the tooth is angled at or near 0 degrees, your dentist or oral surgeon may take upwards of 1-2 years to make a determination if it should be removed.
If it’s around a 90 degree angle, there is a very good chance it will eventually hit bone and will not erupt fully. At this point, it’s up to your oral surgeon to determine if they are going to leave it be or remove it.
Vertical Impaction
This type of impaction is where the tooth is in an almost near vertical orientation. It may be slightly or almost touching the tooth next to it. The chances of this tooth erupting normally is very high and this type of impaction very rarely requires surgery.
If surgery is required, it’s due to the tooth causing pressure on the underside of the molar in the back of the mouth or front of the bones.
Mesial Impaction
This impaction is where the tooth is angled towards the front of the mouth. It is the most common type of impaction and the angle at which the tooth resides determines whether or not it’s going to become an issue.
A partial eruption most commonly occurs as the back of the tooth will poke into the gums. These types of impactions are usually monitored by dentists over a period of time as it could go either way.
Five Common Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth
If you think you suffer from an impacted wisdom tooth, a visit to your family dentist or Tacoma oral surgeon is the only way to really tell for sure. If you’re a “dental chicken” and wait until last minute, here are five common signs that you might have an impacted wisdom tooth:
Gums are bleeding and swollen.
Swelling around the jaw area
Extreme, excruciating pain in the back of the mouth.
Headaches
Neck and shoulder glands swollen
If it gets to the point where you’re in extreme physical pain, it’s usually too late for anything but immediate surgery. You must call our oral surgery clinic as soon as possible for an emergency wisdom teeth extraction.
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