Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth is one that cannot fully erupt into its normal position because it is blocked by surrounding teeth, bone, or gum tissue. Impaction is most common with wisdom teeth (third molars) but can also affect canines and other teeth. Depending on the angle and depth, impacted teeth are classified as partially impacted (partially visible above the gum) or fully impacted (completely beneath the gum and bone). Symptoms include jaw pain, swelling, difficulty opening the mouth, bad breath, and sometimes no symptoms at all — the impaction is discovered only on X-ray. Left untreated, impacted teeth can cause cysts, infection, decay in adjacent teeth, and crowding. Treatment typically involves surgical extraction performed under local anesthesia or sedation, with a recovery period of several days to a week.