Getting to Know Impacted Teeth and How to Overcome It
Tooth impaction occurs when wisdom teeth grow imperfectly because they don’t get enough room to grow and come out of the gums.
This condition can cause wisdom teeth or the last molars to grow sideways, toward or away from the molars next to them, buried, or only partially erupted.
Causes of Impacted Tooth
Tooth impaction is actually quite common and most of them are not accompanied by pain or cause complaints. However, when wisdom teeth grow sideways or do not emerge from the surface of the gums, pain or other complaints may be felt.
Tooth impaction can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- The jaw is too small so there is not enough room for the teeth to grow
- Teeth become crooked or crooked when trying to grow
- Other teeth have grown in an irregular position so that they are blocking the wisdom teeth
Experts believe that impacted teeth have a domino effect. That is, when the teeth that grow sideways press on the teeth next to them, the teeth will grow irregularly. This irregular growth of teeth can cause problems in chewing.
Symptoms of Impacted Tooth
Buried or partially erupted teeth can cause food debris to get stuck. In addition, bacteria are also easier to enter, causing pain and swelling of the gums.
The position of the hidden teeth at the back makes it difficult for a toothbrush to reach. If not cleaned, food debris stuck in the area can trigger pericoronitis. This disorder can cause symptoms such as swollen gums, pain, and bad breath.
Other symptoms of impacted teeth include:
- Teeth only appear slightly on the surface of the gums
- Jaw pain
- Prolonged headache
- Swollen and red gums around buried teeth
- Difficulty opening mouth
- Swollen lymph nodes in neck
- Toothache when biting, especially where the tooth has impacted
How to Overcome Tooth Impaction
To relieve pain from impacted teeth, you can do the following:
- Compressing the painful area with a cold compress
- Gargle with warm salt water
- Taking painkillers, such as aspirin
Although these treatments can help relieve pain, you are still advised to see a dentist. The dentist will provide treatment according to the condition of the impacted tooth.
If the impacted tooth has had a negative impact on other teeth, the doctor will usually recommend tooth extraction or wisdom tooth surgery.
This action can actually be done at any time. However, extraction of impacted teeth tends to be easier in patients who are not yet 20 years old. At that age, the roots of the teeth are not fully developed so they are easier to remove.
If left untreated, impacted teeth can lead to various complications, such as:
- Periodontitis
- Tooth or gum abscess
- Great tooth pain
- Malocclusion or irregular arrangement of teeth
- Formation of dental plaque
- Nerve damage around the teeth
Impacted teeth often do not cause complaints. However, you are still advised to visit the dentist regularly every 6 months. In addition to monitoring the growth of wisdom teeth, this action is also needed to ensure dental and oral health.
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