Impacted Tooth

What is an impacted tooth?

An impacted tooth is a tooth that stays trapped in your gums or jawbone instead of growing in like it should. Impaction most commonly affects wisdom teeth and canines (cuspids), but it can happen to any tooth.

Types of impacted teeth

There are three main types of impacted teeth:

1. Soft tissue impaction: The tooth erupts (grows in) through the jawbone but doesn’t break through the gums.
2. Partial bony impaction: Part of the tooth erupts through the jawbone but some of the tooth stays trapped. No part of the tooth breaks through the gums.
3. Full bony impaction: The tooth stays completely trapped in the jawbone. No part of the tooth erupts through the bone or gums.

How common are impacted teeth?

Impacted teeth are common. In the U.S., 9 out of 10 people will have at least one impacted wisdom tooth by their late teens or early 20s. Not everyone will need surgery to remove impacted teeth, though.

How serious is an impacted tooth?

Whether an impacted tooth is serious depends on a few factors, like:

• The impacted tooth’s position.
• Whether you have pain or swelling.
• Whether the tooth is near your mandibular nerve, a large nerve in your lower jaw.
• How well you can brush and floss the area (especially for soft tissue or partial bony impaction).
• Your age and whether you still have any primary (baby) teeth.

An impacted tooth might not cause any issues at all. But in some cases, it can become infected, put pressure on neighboring teeth or result in other oral health problems.

If you have an infection around your impacted tooth, it’s important to get treatment right away. Don’t wait. The infection can spread to other areas of your body and cause life-threatening complications.

What are the symptoms of an impacted tooth?

Impacted tooth symptoms might come and go. Or they might be persistent.

You might notice:

• Red, swollen or bleeding gums around the affected area.
• Jaw pain.
• Headaches.
• Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.
• Difficulty opening your mouth.
• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck.

What causes an impacted tooth?

There are several scenarios that can cause impacted teeth, like:

• Crooked or twisted teeth that grow in sideways.
• Not enough space in your jawbone. This can happen if you have a small jaw or extra (supernumerary) teeth.
• Overcrowding that prevents your teeth from erupting normally.

Complications of impacted teeth

Some impacted teeth can lead to oral health complications like:

• Cavities.
• Gum disease.
• Abscessed tooth.
• Pericoronitis (gum inflammation around your back teeth).
• Cysts (fluid-filled sacs that can form under your gums).
• Malocclusion (“bad bite”).
• Damage to your mandibular nerve (a large nerve in your lower jaw).

If you have an impacted tooth that’s not causing symptoms, you might not need treatment. Still, it’s a good idea to see a dentist for an exam to make sure.

How is an impacted tooth diagnosed?

A dentist will do an exam to check the health of your teeth and gums. They’ll also look for swelling or anything else out of the ordinary. They might need to take dental X-rays to look at everything under your gums, like your jawbone and teeth roots.

These tests will help your dentist find any impacted teeth and determine whether they could be the culprit of your symptoms.

How are impacted teeth treated?

Whether you need treatment depends on your unique symptoms and situation. Dentists treat impacted teeth in several different ways:

• The “wait and see” approach: If your dentist finds an impacted tooth, but you don’t have any symptoms, they may suggest monitoring the area. This usually means they’ll check on the tooth during your routine dental cleanings to make sure it’s still healthy.
• Impacted tooth removal: If your impacted tooth causes pain, swelling or other oral health issues, your dentist might recommend tooth extraction. They can do this outpatient procedure under local anesthesia or sedation.
• Eruption aids: An eruption aid is anything that helps a tooth erupt when it doesn’t grow in on its own. This treatment is most common among children and teens with impacted canine teeth.

Can impacted teeth be prevented?

You can’t prevent impacted teeth. It’s just something that happens. But you can reduce your risk of related complications by seeing your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings.

What can I expect if I have an impacted tooth?

People with impacted teeth have an excellent outlook with treatment. While an impacted tooth can be inconvenient, it usually doesn’t cause lasting complications — if you treat it appropriately.

How do I take care of myself?

Once an impacted tooth causes pain or other symptoms, it won’t heal on its own. You’ll need to see your dentist for treatment recommendations.

In the meantime, there are things you can do at home to ease discomfort:

• Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater.
• Apply ice packs on your outer jaw.
• Use benzocaine gel (Orajel^® or Anbesol^®) on your gums.
• Take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol^®), ibuprofen (Advil^®) or naproxen (Aleve^®).

When should I see my dentist?

You should see your dentist for regular exams and cleanings. Many people do fine with visits every six months. But others need more frequent visits, especially those prone to cavities or gum disease.

In addition, schedule a dental visit any time you notice new or worsening symptoms.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Impacted teeth don’t always cause symptoms and they don’t always need treatment. But if you notice sudden, unexplained tooth or gum pain, tell your dentist. Your symptoms may get better or worse depending on the day — but your tooth won’t heal without proper care.