Impacted Wisdom Tooth Treatment in Vancouver
At Vancouver Dental Specialty Clinic, impacted wisdom teeth are assessed with a detailed exam and dental imaging. We review the tooth position, nearby structures, current symptoms, and risk of future problems before recommending treatment.
If extraction is recommended, our team will explain the procedure, anesthesia or sedation options, expected recovery, and costs associated with the treatment. The goal is to remove the tooth safely while protecting the surrounding teeth, gums, bone, and nerves.
What is an Impacted Tooth?
The average person develops and grows a total of 32 permanent adult teeth. However, in many instances, the human jaw is too small to accommodate the four wisdom teeth found at back of the mouth, behind the molars. When this is the case, inadequate space can prevent the wisdom teeth from erupting through into proper position, resulting in what is called an impacted tooth (singular) or teeth (more than one).
Impacted teeth can result in pain, and an inability to chew and perform adequate dental hygiene, the latter of which can compound problems.
Signs of an Impacted Wisdom Tooth
Some impacted wisdom teeth cause no symptoms and are only found during an exam or X-ray. Others may lead to:
- Pain or pressure at the back of the mouth
- Swollen, red, or bleeding gums
- Jaw stiffness or trouble opening your mouth
- Pain when chewing
- A bad taste or ongoing bad breath
- Swelling in the jaw or cheek
- Food becoming trapped around a partly erupted tooth
These symptoms may come and go. An assessment can confirm whether the wisdom tooth is the cause.
What Are the Different Types of Wisdom Tooth Impactions?
- Soft Tissue Impaction: In this case, there is not enough room to allow the gum tissue to retract for adequate cleaning (and use) of the tooth.
- Partial Bony Impaction: There is enough space for the wisdom tooth to partially erupt. However, the eruption is not enough to allow the tooth to perform necessary functions (chewing, etc.) and the patient will not be able to brush or floss the area properly.
- Complete Bony Impaction: There is no space for the wisdom tooth to erupt. In this instance, the tooth remains embedded in the jaw bone. If partially visible, it still requires complex surgery for removal, especially if the impacted tooth rests in an unusual position, making it more difficult to remove. This situation often arises when the shape or size of a patient’s jaw bone and/or other facial structure makes removal significantly more complicated.
Do All Impacted Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed?
Not every impacted wisdom tooth needs immediate removal. A tooth may be monitored if it is healthy, causes no symptoms, and does not pose a clear risk to nearby teeth or gums.
Removal may be recommended when the tooth causes pain, infection, decay, gum problems, cyst formation, or damage to a neighbouring tooth. Our specialists will explain the benefits and risks based on your exam and imaging.
View more on wisdom teeth, and if concerned about the presence of an impacted wisdom tooth, schedule a consultation with a specialist at our Point Grey Vancouver office. Call Vancouver Dental Specialty Clinic at 604-336-0958 or follow the link below.
