Impacted Teeth

Cannon Oral Surgery Brandon Cannon, DDS Our Services Impacted Teeth
Brandon Cannon, DDS - - Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon

Cannon Oral Surgery

Brandon Cannon, DDS

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon located in Chattanooga, TN

Impacted teeth might not seem like an issue at first -- in many cases, they don’t even cause symptoms. However, they can lead to complications like cysts, cavities, and gum disease. At Cannon Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Brandon Cannon, DDS, provides extractions and exposure procedures for impacted teeth. To determine if you have impacted teeth and decide if you should treat them, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

Impacted Teeth Q&A

What are impacted teeth?

Impacted teeth are teeth that have not or cannot erupt and remain below your gum line. Some teeth are only partially impacted, meaning they start to break through the gums but cannot entirely do so. 

In many cases, impacted teeth occur because there isn’t enough room for them among your teeth that have already erupted. The two types of teeth most likely to be affected are:

Wisdom teeth

Your wisdom teeth are the farthest molars in the back of your mouth. If they erupt at all, it’s usually between ages 17 and 21. Many people choose to remove them as a precautionary measure against the complications that arise from impacted teeth or crowding.

Maxillary canines

The second most common teeth to be impacted are your maxillary canines, which are the pointy teeth toward the front of your mouth in the upper jaw. To get these teeth to erupt, Dr. Cannon may need to remove some bone.

What are the possible complications of impacted teeth?

Impacted teeth can cause numerous complications if you don’t encourage them to erupt or extract them with surgery. Fully or partially impacted teeth can make it hard to effectively clean your teeth, which puts you at risk for complications like:

  • Cavities
  • Tooth decay
  • Gum disease
  • Tooth crowding
  • Cysts

As your impacted teeth attempt to erupt, they can cause pain. Even if you haven’t experienced any complications from your fully or partially impacted teeth yet, Dr. Cannon might recommend extraction as a precautionary measure. 

It’s important to note that impacted teeth don’t cause complications in every case, and extraction might not be necessary for you. Regular dental appointments can help you identify early signs of a problem and decide whether to remove them. 

How do I know if I have an impacted tooth?

Some people experience few symptoms from impacted teeth and therefore do not know they have any. However, impacted teeth can cause pain and other symptoms that lead you to seek treatment. If you have an impacted tooth, you might experience one or more of these symptoms:

  • Gum redness and swelling
  • Missing teeth
  • Bleeding gums
  • Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
  • Trouble fully opening your mouth
  • Pain upon moving your jaw

These symptoms can come and go, but you should report them to your dentist if they occur at all. If you don’t have any symptoms but continue to attend your routine dental cleanings and exams, your dentist can diagnose an impacted tooth when you get a dental X-ray. 

Learn more about impacted teeth and their extractions by calling Cannon Oral Surgery or booking a consultation online today.

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