Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth removal is a fairly straightforward process when they have fully erupted through the gums. Whey wisdom teeth are impacted, or stuck beneath the gums, more complex surgery is necessary to access and extract them. At Innovative Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, Dr. Salin, Dr. Weiner, Dr. Semanoff, and Dr. Nack regularly extract impacted wisdom teeth in the comfort of our surgical suites.

Contact our practice in Feasterville, Newtown, or Abington, PA, for a consultation. Our board-certified oral surgeons will evaluate your oral health and determine if you have impacted wisdom teeth and create a plan to safely remove them.

What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, develop at the back of the mouth behind the second molars. They serve no functional purpose because the second molars chew food. Many adults do not have room in the mouth for an extra set of molars, which is why dental professionals recommend having them removed.

When a wisdom tooth develops and there is not enough room for it, the tooth becomes impacted as it tries to erupt through the gum tissue. Wisdom teeth can come in at different angles and sometimes face sideways. With this unnatural positioning and not having adequate space, the tooth becomes trapped beneath the gums.

Types of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

There are several ways a wisdom tooth can become impacted. By taking 3D scans of your mouth, we can assess the type and degree of impaction, then walk you through your treatment options.

Soft Tissue Impaction—The tooth has erupted from the jaw bone but has not erupted through the gum line.
Partial Bony Impaction—The tooth has partially erupted from the jaw bone and part of the tooth has erupted through the gum line.
Full Bony Impaction—The tooth has not erupted from the jaw bone and is fully embedded in the jaw.

Why Should I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Whether a tooth is fully impacted or partially impacted, it can cause short-term and long-term oral health complications when left untreated. Fully impacted wisdom teeth can cause damage to adjacent molars as they push against them, increasing the risk of infection and misalignment.

A partially impacted tooth is difficult to keep clean because it traps food and bacteria and is difficult to access. This increases the risk of developing cavities and tooth decay. As bacteria collects around an impacted tooth, it can lead to pericoronitis, a painful inflammatory gum disease.

Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

You may have one or more impacted wisdom teeth if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Jaw pain
Swollen gums
Gums that easily bleed
Headaches
Ongoing bad breath
An unpleasant taste in the mouth
Jaw stiffness or difficulty fully opening the mouth
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

By having impacted wisdom teeth extracted by an oral surgeon, you prevent these issues and more from arising. Our team at Innovative Oral Surgery & Dental Implants prioritizes your safety and we offer many anesthesia options to ensure your comfort during surgery. IV anesthesia is often used, which allows you to rest comfortably during your wisdom tooth removal procedure.