What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Dental Impaction
• Retained Tooth
• Tooth Impaction

What is Impacted Tooth? (Definition/Background Information)

• An Impacted Tooth is one that does not entirely emerge from the gums to get into a normal position and have a full functional value. It is also called an Unemerged Tooth, and is a very common problem
• Normally, this happens when such teeth are obstructed from full emergence due to several reasons and remain curbed within the jaw tissue and bones
• The wisdom tooth (called the third molar, located at the inside end of the mouth) is the most common teeth that create problems of this nature
• An early awareness of this condition may help in having a timely treatment, and help avoid discomfort, pain, and other complications, such as tooth decay, inflammation, and infection
• An Impacted Tooth may be diagnosed through oral examination. Treatment measures commonly involve the use of medications to control pain and other symptoms, and extraction of problem tooth

Who gets Impacted Tooth? (Age and Sex Distribution)

• Impacted Tooth is commonly observed in children and very young adults. This dental condition is also not unusual in older adults
• In children, it may be generally seen around the period new teeth emerge, like during infancy when primary/milk teeth appear; or later, when these are replaced by a permanent set of teeth (between ages 6-13 years)
• But, most frequently Dental Impaction (or Impacted Tooth) occurs when wisdom teeth begin to erupt; between the years 17-21
• The incidence of this condition is uniform across both sexes (male and female)

What are the Risk Factors for Impacted Tooth? (Predisposing Factors)

Following are a few risk factors for Impacted Tooth:

• Individuals with a 'dimensionally' small jaw structure
• Presence of tilted, displaced, or misaligned teeth causing overcrowding of teeth
• Any trauma or injury to the teeth causing existing teeth to crack or break
• Any disease of the periodontal tissues (tissues that hold teeth in place), affecting the teeth
• Lack of good oral hygiene practices

It is important to note that having a risk factor does not mean that one will get the condition. A risk factor increases one's chances of getting a condition compared to an individual without the risk factors. Some risk factors are more important than others.

Also, not having a risk factor does not mean that an individual will not get the condition. It is always important to discuss the effect of risk factors with your healthcare provider.

What are the Causes of Impacted Tooth? (Etiology)

• In the case of wisdom teeth, a condition of Impacted Tooth generally arises, since wisdom tooth is the last to emerge from the gums. By this time, the jaw size and profile is set and sometimes, there may occur a lack of space to accommodate them
• In case of any other teeth, the disorder may take place due to adjacent teeth being displaced, tilted, or placed unevenly. This causes the misaligned teeth to partially (or fully) occupy space meant for a new/emerging teeth
• It could also be that some underlying disorder or any trauma might delay or prevent teeth from complete emergence

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Impacted Tooth?

Many times a condition of Tooth Impaction could be asymptomatic, without causing any pain or discomfort. In other cases, the signs and symptoms an individual might experience include:

• Bad odor from the mouth, bitterness in the mouth (particularly on ‘biting down’)
• Toothache, or pain in the gums, jaws with tenderness, difficulty in opening one’s mouth
• Swollen gums/tissue, redness
• Frequent/continuous headaches
• Feeling of uneasiness, discomfort
• Visible gap in the row of teeth
• Infrequently, the neck lymph nodes may appear swollen

How is Impacted Tooth Diagnosed?

Diagnostic tests performed to examine Tooth Impaction include:

• An oral examination will be performed by the dentist to take note of the clinical symptoms. Close examination of the mouth can help identify the problem tooth/area
• Pressure tests may be used to check for tooth sensitivity to temperature
• Dental x-rays

Many clinical conditions may have similar signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider may perform additional tests to rule out other clinical conditions to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

What are the possible Complications of Impacted Tooth?

Complications that may occur due to an Impacted Tooth are normally owing to a lack of/or delayed treatment:

• Food particles, other debris could get trapped in the teeth and gums, leading to a tooth infection
• Excessive and intense pain, which might cause continuous discomfort and irritation
• An impaction could potentially lead to a tooth abscess
• A single tooth out of place could impede the proper alignment of many adjoining teeth. This might affect the overall profile of the entire set of teeth, due to congestion. Such dental problems may require correction through the use of dental braces (to be worn for many years), or through costly surgical procedures

How is Impacted Tooth Treated?

Quick and appropriate action may be required to correct a Tooth Impaction, in some cases. This can prevent unwanted complications that lead to expensive dental procedures later on. The management measures include:

• Symptoms such as pain, discomfort, or inflammation, may be treated with pain-relieving medications, salt water gargle, warm compress, antibiotics for infection, etc.
• Misaligned teeth may be corrected using dental braces
• Wisdom teeth are normally removed surgically under local anesthesia, if the patient is young
• An oral surgeon (or a dentist) may perform complicated tooth extractions administering general anesthesia
• In case of an infection that is severe and involves complications, the tooth may be removed (under such circumstances, sometimes hospitalization may be required)

Asymptomatic cases may not require any treatment, if these do not create any discomfort, pain, inflammation, or hinder teeth alignment.

How can Impacted Tooth be Prevented?

• A Tooth Impaction is not preventable
• Maintaining regular and proper oral hygiene can ensure that the mouth, tongue, and teeth remain clean, decreasing the risk of any dental health issues
• Dentists recommend periodic examinations to monitor oral health regularly
• Create an awareness of the importance of oral health from an early age
• Always advocate proactive mechanisms in preventing any major dental issues; do not wait until the tooth condition worsens or aggravates
• Do seek early dental attention, if there are any teeth-related issues, such as unemerged teeth, chipping, sensitivity, decay/cavity, loosened teeth, or any other such issues

What is the Prognosis of Impacted Tooth? (Outcomes/Resolutions)

• When an Impacted Tooth does not cause any symptoms, the condition may not require any treatment. In case the tooth causes discomfort or pain with inflammation, a prompt treatment generally yields a good prognosis
• In case treatment is delayed or if there are complications, then the problem teeth may have to be removed and any accompanying infection treated accordingly. This may extend the time for healing; but even so, the prognosis is good
• Wisdom teeth are usually removed at a younger age (before an individual reaches 30 years of age). Performing the extraction at a later stage can be harder, as the teeth could have fused into the bones

Additional and Relevant Useful Information for Impacted Tooth:

• If the tooth remains within the jaw bones and does not erupt, then it is called a bony impaction
• If the tooth emerges from the bones, but lies within the gum tissues, then it is called a soft-tissue impaction