Impacted Wisdom Teeth: A common condition
This is a very common condition that we treat regularly in our office. When inadequate space prevents the teeth from erupting into proper position alignment for chewing and cleaning they are called impacted. Impactions occur when wisdom teeth come in at the wrong angle or simply because your mouth is not large enough to accommodate another set of molars. That’s why 9 out of 10 people find themselves with at least one impacted wisdom tooth that requires extraction.
Types of Impactions
- Soft Tissue Impaction: There is not enough room to allow the gum tissue to retract for adequate cleaning of the tooth.
- Partial Bony Impaction: There is enough space to allow the wisdom tooth to partially erupt. However, the tooth cannot function properly in the chewing process, and creates cleaning problems, among others.
- Complete Bony Impaction: There is NO space for the tooth to erupt. It remains embedded in the jaw bone or if even partially visible requires complex surgical techniques for removal. The impacted wisdom tooth may also be in an unusual position and difficult to remove. This situation can also arise when the shape or size of the jaw bone and other facial structures make removal of this tooth significantly more complex.