What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Removal of impacted 3rd molars is one of the most common procedures conducted in the Chicago dental school

. What is an impacted tooth? Any tooth that does not erupt into its normal functioning position within the dental arch in the prescribed amount of time is called an impacted tooth. The most common teeth to become impacted are the upper and lower jaw 3rd molars. Upper canines and lower premolars can also become impacted. Since these teeth are the last ones to erupt in an arch, they are most commonly impacted, but other teeth can be impacted as well.

Causes of impacted teeth

The most common reason for impactions is the lack of space or inadequate arch length. Overlying thick bone, soft tissue or an impeding adjacent tooth can cause an erupting tooth to get stuck. Sometimes a cyst can cause a tooth to not erupt. A tooth can get completely or partially impacted. In a partially impacted tooth, a portion of the crown is visible in the oral cavity. A tooth whose eruptive path is not blocked in any manner and still does not erupt is also called an embedded tooth. Such teeth have lost their eruptive force due to some reason and fail to erupt. This is more commonly seen in children in deciduous teeth (milk teeth). For this type of problems go to your nearest pediatric dentist Chicago now and get your problem corrected.

Other systemic causes have been implicated in causing impacted teeth. Hereditary syndromes like Cleidocranial dysplasia, irradiation, Endocrine disorders like hypothyroidism and hypopitituarism, bouts of high fever during periods of growth, Downs syndrome etc are all known to influence impaction of permanent teeth.

Common problems associated with impacted teeth.

The most common problem associated with partially impacted 3rd molars is entrapment of food surrounding the impacted tooth, and subsequent inflammation of the gums. This can lead to abscess formation in the gums or a painful condition called pericoronitis. Pain in the area can causes difficulty in chewing and the infection can cause foul smell to emanate from the area. You may also experience foul tasting liquid in your mouth when you bite down on the area. In severe conditions the pain can radiate to the side of the head and neck causing considerable agony along with swelling. Other impacted teeth can cause misalignment of teeth and loss of arch space. In such situation visit to your nearest best dentist Chicago for proper treatment. Cysts and dental tumors are commonly associated with impacted teeth. Resorption of adjacent teeth or the impacted teeth itself are other findings. Impacted teeth can cause movement of adjacent teeth and cause difficulty in chewing or cause cheek biting.

Do I have an impacted tooth? What to do if I have one?

The diagnosis of impacted teeth is a relatively straight forward business. All the dentist needs to do is take an X-ray. And judging by the position and your age the Chicago dentists can make a pretty decent diagnosis. The treatment aspect can become quite challenging. There are many conflicting points of view regarding treatment of impacted teeth among the dentist community. Some are of the opinion that impacted teeth should be removed regardless of whether they are causing any symptoms at that moment, called prophylactic extraction. While others are of the opinion that impacted teeth need not be touched unless it is troubling the patients. There are arguments favoring both sides and your treatment plan will depend upon your needs and your condition. Sometimes it is better to remove an impacted tooth before it causes damage to the surrounding tissues.

Wisdom tooth removal

Dentist Chicago prefers to observe the impacted tooth once it has been diagnosed. Most common type of treatment done in dental clinics is an impacted 3rd molar removal or more commonly called wisdom tooth surgery. It is a routine minor surgery done under local anesthesia. Sometimes the services of an Oral and maxillofacial surgeon may be employed. Bone surrounding the tooth may need to be removed with a slow speed drill to enable easy removal. Wisdom tooth surgery is infamous for causing considerable swelling and pain for a few days. Antibiotics and painkillers are prescribed to reduce discomfort. Placing an ice pack intermittently will help reduce swelling. Warm saline gargle 4-5 times daily can help improve healing in the area. You must try opening your mouth as much as possible after the swelling has subsided, otherwise fibrosis in the area of the wound can cause considerable difficulty in opening.

Treatment of other impacted teeth

Numerous studies done by dentist in Chicago have confirmed that simple exposure of the impacted tooth, especially premolars, can assist in normal eruption of the tooth. Sometimes with the help of orthodontic wires the tooth can be pulled into its normal position. Here, after surgical exposure of the tooth, orthodontic wires are attached to the exposed surface of the tooth. Then the tooth is pulled into its normal position just like any other tooth.

In some cases where an impacted 3rd molar is preventing the proper eruption of a 2nd molar, the 3rd molar can be removed and the 2nd molar can be surgically uprighted or repositioned, i.e. the tooth is gently lifted into position. The repositioned 2nd molar will need to undergo a root canal treatment later on.

Certain cases of impacted canines can be corrected using transplantation. Here the impacted canine is removed with some surrounding bone and transplanted into the correct position and stabilized with orthodontic wires. After careful evaluation of healing, the tooth will need to undergo a root canal treatment by Chicago dental. This is normally done in patients who cannot undergo orthodontic therapy to correct this problem.

In extreme cases where no other treatment options are feasible, extraction or removal is the only option left. Impacted canines and premolars can cause resorption of the roots of adjacent teeth. Careful monitoring of the tooth is needed and at the first signs of resorption, the tooth should be removed.

Impacted teeth are a common problem affecting many people. Excellent treatment options are easily available and are normally covered under dental insurance. There is no need to wait around for your tooth to start showing problems. Go to your nearest dentist Chicago now and get your problem corrected.

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by: Dental Chicago

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