Wisdom Teeth Series: Impacted Tooth

Posted in Dental Insurance , Health Insurance

October 1st, 2009

Impacted teeth are wisdom that into a person’s mouth in disorderly way, usually perpendicular to the adjoining tooth, causing many serious problems to their dental health. There are several different kinds of impacted wisdom teeth, but what they all have in common is the need to be extracted sooner rather than later. An impacted wisdom tooth, if allowed to grow unchecked, can cause damage to the other teeth in a person’s mouth.

Forms of Impacted Teeth

• The most common form of impacted wisdom tooth is the mesioangular impaction. This means that the wisdom tooth is growing into your mouth, at the back of the line of teeth, at an angle that’s essentially pressing up against the next tooth in line – meaning, the wisdom tooth is not growing straight as it should, but at an angle that will disrupt the tooth it’s pressing against, and the teeth after it.
• After the mesioangular impaction comes the vertical impaction. A vertically impacted wisdom tooth only partially emerges above the gum line. This causes the gum to grow over and around the tooth in an unnatural way, forming what’s called an operculum. Operculums are tough to clean, and food and other debris get caught under them, which can lead to a dangerous infection known as pericoronitis.
• The third most common form of impacted wisdom tooth is the distoangular impaction, and rather than heading towards the front of the mouth, as with a mesioangular impaction, this kind of impacted wisdom tooth is heading towards the back of the mouth.
• Finally, the least common form of impaction – but possibly the worst – is horizontal impaction. In this instance, the wisdom tooth is growing in at a completely perpendicular angle to the tooth next to it – meaning, the wisdom tooth is lying on its side, and heading straight towards the next tooth, not unlike a battering ram.

Impacted wisdom teeth need to come out, period. If you have questions about the procedure, be sure to consult with your dentist. Questions about your dental insurance coverage, and what it does and does not pay for, should be addressed to a representative of your dental insurance provider.