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Impacted tooth   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Tooth - unemerged; Unemerged tooth; Dental impaction

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to relieve irritation of the mouth caused by the impacted tooth. If the impacted tooth is not causing infection or inflammation, or is not affecting the alignment of the other teeth, no treatment may be necessary.

Over-the-counter analgesics may relieve discomfort. Warm salt water (one-half teaspoon of salt in one cup of water) or over-the-counter mouthwashes may be soothing to the gums.

Extraction (removal) of the tooth is the usual treatment for a symptomatic impacted tooth. This often is performed in the dentist's office under local anesthesia. If the tooth is deeply impacted or difficulty with extraction is expected, the dentist may refer the person to an oral surgeon for tooth removal. Antibiotics may be required prior to tooth extraction if the area around the tooth is infected.

Prognosis

Impacted teeth may cause no problems for some people and may never require treatment. If the impacted tooth is causing symptoms, treatment, including extraction, is usually successful in resolving the symptoms.  It is often preferable to have wisdom teeth extracted when a patient is younger (under 30), due to the flexibilty of bone which will allow an easier extraction and better healing.  As a person ages the bone becomes more rigid and complications can develop.

Complications

• recurrent infection of a partially buried tooth
• abscess of the tooth/gums
• malocclusion of the teeth
• chronic discomfort in the mouth
• "plaque traps"

Call Your Health Care Provider If:

Call your dentist if there is an unemerged tooth (or partially emerged tooth) and pain in the gums or other symptoms have developed.

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