How Serious Is An Impacted Tooth?
|
| It usually isn't normal for a
tooth to remain beneath the surface beyond an
age of about 21, and difficulties will probably
develop. For example, decay can occur even
though an impacted tooth is not visible
from the outside. Saliva with all the bacteria
normally present in the mouth can reach the
crown of an impacted tooth. When a decay
does occur, there is no way for a dentist to
fill such a cavity and severe pain will result. |
| Another problem is
pericoronitis, an infection that forms around
the crown of the tooth. As with any infection
that is unchecked, it may spread to the
surrounding tissues with the potential of
general body illness. |
| A third problem has to do
with the pressure the impacted tooth
produces on those teeth that have erupted. This
pressure may injure the roots of good
teeth or push them out of position and affect
your ability to chew food normally. |
| There is also the possibility
of a cyst forming around the impacted tooth.
This can result in the destruction of bone
tissue, as well as damage to other teeth. |
Must The Tooth Come Out If It Hasn't Caused
Trouble Yet?
|
| No one can tell when an
impacted tooth will cause you trouble. But
trouble probably will arise and when it does, it
will come unexpectedly and at inconvenient
times. If the trouble arises when you are much
older, you will not stand the operation as well
as if you had taken care of it at an early age. |
| Also, if trouble arises
first, then the tooth cannot be removed until
the infection or other complications have been
treated. This means loss of more time and added
expense along with some added risk. It's best to
have impacted teeth removed before trouble
begins. |
What Is The Operation Like?
|
 The
removal of an impacted tooth is a surgical
operation. It requires incision of the
gum, cutting the tooth and probably some
removal of bone, too.
The actual removal of the tooth will be
performed using an anesthetic, sterile
instruments, special lighting, and a dry
operative field. The surgeon will be as gentle
as possible in handling the soft tissue and
bone. The operation may last from twenty
minutes to sixty minutes, depending upon the
difficulty of the procedure. The wound will be
closed with sutures.
You will have some swelling
and discomfort, and may experience some
difficulty in swallowing and opening the mouth.
There may even be some slight discoloration of
the skin.
Instructions for home care will
be given to you by the surgeon. |
| What Complications
May Arise? |
| None are expected.
Nevertheless, any operation carries some risk.
The wound caused by removal of an impacted
tooth is fairly large, and speed of healing
will depend upon the ability of your body to
generate tissue. |
| If the impacted tooth
is within the lower jaw, it may rest on
the main nerve that follows the jaw line. While
all precautions will be taken, it may be that
the nerve will be bruised. This will result in
some numbness of the lower lip or tongue on that
side. This effect usually does not last more
than a few weeks, in most cases, as a nerve
repairs itself. Permanent numbness is a rare
possibility but is not considered probable. |
| If your impacted tooth
is in the upper jaw, the surgeon will
take care to see that no unnecessary injury
occurs to the wall of the maxillary sinus or
antrum. Occasionally, the thin wall may crack
slightly, or it may be perforated by the
tooth roots. If so, some blood may seep into
the sinus. Should this occur, you may notice a
trace of blood in your nose, but this normally
heals within a few days without complications.
If grafting of soft tissue is required,
you will be given specific instructions. |
| Correct post-operative
care will help you avoid complications which
can lead to unnecessary discomfort and delayed
recovery. |
| What About
Anesthesia? |
| Many operations can be
performed using a local anesthesia, which
requires injections in the mouth. In such a
case, you are awake throughout the procedure but
feel little or no pain. |
| If you are apprehensive, or
the operation is more complicated or
time-consuming, you may feel more comfortable
under intravenous conscious sedation,
inhalation analgesia, or general
anesthesia. |
| As with any drug, there is of
course some risk of serious allergic reaction
or other complications, which can result in
damage to vital organs such as the brain or
liver, or even in cardiac arrest. However, those
risks are so slight that they should not prevent
most people from taking advantage of the
tremendous value of modern anesthesia. |
| Patients are expected to
disclose all physical problems and
particularly all drugs (medicine of all
kinds) being taken. Failure to do so may affect
the outcome of the anesthesia or planned
surgery. |
| Should you have additional
questions or concerns, please ask the doctor. |
