What is an implacted tooth?
Most people will be familiar with or at least have heard of impacted wisdom teeth. That's the most common type of impacted tooth. However, what you may not know is that some other teeth, such as a canine like your eye tooth, can also be impacted. This occurs when the specific development of your skeleton doesn't allow that tooth to come into its natural spot, causing it to become impacted.
Most of the time, you're looking at wisdom teeth. Sometimes the impaction is such that we don't need to do anything about it; we just let them be and hope for the best. The reason we prefer to remove impacted wisdom teeth, especially when we're younger, is because we heal much faster and have fewer complications after and during surgery. It's usually easier for the surgeon and the patient due to these factors. We address impacted teeth because they can affect the adjacent teeth. If the wisdom tooth is touching another tooth, it can lead to a large cavity, gum disease, or bone loss. To protect the teeth you're using, we remove the impacted tooth, and then your body heals, and everything is good.
Additionally, if that doesn't happen, the impacted tooth could develop a cyst. While very rare, it does occur, and removing the tooth significantly reduces the risk, although it doesn't eliminate it entirely.
Can you see an impacted wisdom tooth on an X-ray?
Certain types of X-rays can help your dentist visualize an impacted wisdom tooth or any type of impacted tooth. The most common and the standard of care is what we call a panoramic X-ray, or a pano or pan. Everyone refers to it a little differently, but it's a machine you stand in, hold onto the handles, and it rotates around your head to capture an image on the computer. This allows you to see pretty much everything.
What should some patients expect after an impacted tooth removal?
There are a few things you can expect after the removal of an impacted tooth. Number one is swelling. Not everyone will experience swelling, and when it occurs, it can range from minimal to significant. Pain is another expected outcome, unfortunately. That's why we prefer to perform the procedure when you're young, as you'll likely experience less pain and recover more quickly. Sometimes you'll need stitches, other times you won't, depending on the surgeon and the type of sutures used. R
arely, you may experience numbness that could last a few days, weeks, months, or even years. It's also not uncommon to develop bone spurs. If the tooth is deeply impacted, we may need to remove some bone to access the tooth. Despite our efforts to clean everything thoroughly, bleeding can obscure small bone fragments, which may be left behind. You might notice something sharp and assume it's a tooth, but most of the time, it's just a piece of bone.
At Smiles of Mathews, you come first. Whether you need dental care or simply have questions, call us at (804) 294-4362 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is here to help you every step of the way.