What Does Dental Impaction Mean

What does dental impaction mean

Dr Ahmed Javed Butt 

Dental impaction refers to a condition in which a tooth is unable to emerge or break through the gum tissue and into the mouth because it is blocked by some other structure. This can happen when a tooth is misaligned or there is not enough room in the jaw for it to come in normally. Impacted teeth can cause problems if they are not treated, such as pain, infection, and damage to surrounding teeth. They may need to be surgically removed or otherwise treated by a dental professional.

Types of impacted teeth

There are several types of impacted teeth:

1. Mesially impacted: A tooth that is angled toward the front of the mouth (toward the midline).

2. Distally impacted: A tooth that is angled away from the front of the mouth (toward the back of the mouth).

3. Horizontally impacted: A tooth that is lying flat against the gum tissue.

4. Vertically impacted: A tooth that is pointing straight up or down, rather than emerging at an angle.

The most common types of impacted teeth are wisdom teeth (also called third molars) and canines (also called cuspids). These teeth often become impacted due to lack of space in the jaw or because they are misaligned. Other teeth can also become impacted, however, such as incisors (front teeth) or premolars (teeth just behind the incisors).