Can Impacted Teeth Resolve on Their Own?

You may have an impacted tooth, but you don’t want to go to the dentist. Can you just wait and hope the problem resolves on its own? Read on to learn why this could cause more problems.

Most people — about 85% — have their wisdom teeth removed, usually because these teeth are impacted and won’t come in correctly. But did you know other teeth can be impacted?

If you’re dealing with an impacted tooth, you may be tempted to let the situation resolve on its own so you don’t have to head to the dentist.

Our expert team at Associated Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, with three Connecticut locations, is here to tell you that’s a bad idea. Here’s why.

What’s an impacted tooth?

An impacted tooth doesn’t grow in (or erupt) as it should. Instead, it stays trapped beneath your gum line or jawbone. That means you lose the function of that tooth, but it can also lead to pain, infection, and crowding or alignment issues.

Some impacted teeth grow sideways into other teeth, while others erupt at an angle.

Impaction can affect any of your teeth, including your canines and molars.

Our team, led by Dr. Roger Badwal and Dr. Anthony Camillo, can diagnose impacted teeth through a comprehensive dental exam and imaging, including X-rays and 3D cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans.

Will an impacted tooth get better?

The short answer is no — an impacted tooth won’t resolve on its own. However, the tooth may not need prompt treatment if you’re not experiencing symptoms. That’s common with wisdom teeth, for example.

Symptoms that do call for treatment include pain when chewing, swollen gums, bad breath, headaches, swollen lymph nodes in your neck, and jaw pain.

An abscess (a fluid-filled cyst containing harmful bacteria) can sometimes form around an impacted tooth, causing significant health issues if it ruptures.

If you suspect an impacted tooth, don’t wait for things to improve, especially if you experience any of the symptoms above. Call us to get checked so we can develop the most effective treatment plan.

In most cases, that involves surgical extraction of your impacted teeth. In other cases, we may help a tooth erupt instead of removing it, but that depends on the patient — it’s most common with kids and teens who have impacted canines.

Impacted teeth are one of the things dentists check for at your regular cleanings, so be sure to keep up with those appointments. Catching an impacted tooth early can save you significant pain and inconvenience.

If you think you have an impacted tooth, our team at Associated Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons is happy to help. Schedule an appointment by phone or online today at one of our convenient locations in Danbury, Ridgefield, or Southbury, Connecticut.