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What Does it Mean to Have an Impacted Tooth?

Posted on 9/30/2017 by Nancy Shiba DDS

Wisdom Teeth Removal in San Jose provided by Dr. Shiba at Nancy Shiba, DDS

Impacted Tooth Nancy Shiba, DDS CA 95116-1903

Many dentists talk about impacted teeth with the assumption that their patients know what that means. Unfortunately, not all patients do.

If your dentist has been keeping an eye on one of your teeth thinking it may be impacted, the best thing you can do is understand what that means for you.

It often happens with wisdom teeth and pretty regularly with canines. Here is a breakdown of what you should know about impacted teeth.

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Impacted Teeth Are Simply Stuck

An impacted tooth is one that is stuck. It could be stuck because the other teeth around it came in too quickly, or because they shifted and didn't leave enough room.

In the case of wisdom teeth, it could be that your jaw simply does not have enough room for those teeth to descend properly at the end of your arch. This causes the tooth to get stuck and not come down as it should.

Treating impacted teeth really depends on which tooth it is that gets stuck. It can be relatively easy to help a canine come down. It will involve exposing the tooth, usually putting a bracket on it, and pulling it down into place with braces-like appliances.

When wisdom teeth get impacted, which they frequently do, it usually means they need to be extracted to stop causing damage to the rest of your mouth.

Find out more about impacted teeth by talking to your dentist about them. If your dentist has been talking about impacted teeth like they think you know what it means, let them know that you don't. It is a common term for them, but not the rest of the world. They can show you where your tooth is now on an x-ray, and explain to you the best ways to treat it.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (669) 306-7669 today.

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