What happens if a wisdom tooth is impacted

Your retainer accumulates bacteria, plaque, and tartar. Achieving healthy teeth takes a lifetime of care. When left untreated, it can lead to dental complications. Find out the symptoms to watch for, and…. Here are our picks, tips for comfortable use, and how we went about choosing the best water flossers. Ready to narrow down your search? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Read on to learn more about how dentists treat impacted wisdom teeth. What are the symptoms? What causes an impacted wisdom tooth?

Pictures of impacted wisdom teeth. Risk factors of impacted wisdom teeth. How is an impacted wisdom tooth diagnosed? How are impacted wisdom teeth treated? Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:.

See your dentist if you experience symptoms in the area behind your last molar that may be associated with an impacted wisdom tooth. Wisdom teeth third molars become impacted because they don't have enough room to come in erupt or develop normally.

Wisdom teeth usually emerge sometime between the ages of 17 and Some people have wisdom teeth that emerge without any problems and line up with the other teeth behind the second molars. In many cases, however, the mouth is too crowded for third molars to develop normally.

These crowded third molars become trapped impacted. An impacted wisdom tooth may partially emerge so that some of the crown is visible partially impacted , or it may never break through the gums fully impacted. Whether partially or fully impacted, the tooth may:. You can't keep an impaction from occurring, but keeping regular six-month dental appointments for cleaning and checkups enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth.

Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

He may need to excise a small amount of bone or break up the tooth into smaller pieces before completing the extraction. Mild painkillers will be prescribed to help with post-surgical pain and discomfort. Your doctor will monitor you to ensure no infections occur. Usually, there should be no further complications. If you are experiencing the painful symptoms associated with impacted wisdom teeth, contact your dentist right away.

Ernie Soto can diagnose your impacted wisdom teeth and get you on the path to a pain-free treatment. Specializing in sedation dentistry, Dr. Soto offers a complete range of dental services. To schedule an appointment, call today. For an in-depth look at dental conditions and how they are treated, check out Dr. Soto's Patient Education Library. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.

Your wisdom teeth can still break through, or erupt , even in early adulthood. Janowicz says. Pain in the upper or lower jaw can often be the first sign that your wisdom teeth are causing problems. You may feel a sensation of pressure in the back of your mouth. Also, the gum tissue around the erupting wisdom tooth often becomes sensitive, swollen and inflamed.

However, you may also feel no pain at all.