All teeth are developed first below the gumline. They naturally move up until they break through the gum and take their place in the tooth lineup. When teeth fail to break through the gum, they’re called impacted teeth. Perhaps you’ve heard people talk about impacted wisdom teeth, but any tooth can become impacted for several reasons.

Even when an impacted tooth causes no pain, it’s considered a serious medical condition that needs treatment. Lovett Dental Northside is proud to provide the treatment individuals and families can turn to to meet their needs.

What Causes Tooth Impaction?

There is often no known cause for impacted teeth. You may not even know that you have an impacted tooth until your dentist takes x-rays as part of your routine dental care.Man struggles with the effects of impacted teeth

When there is a known reason for impaction, the following causes are often found:

  • Overcrowding
  • Small jawline
  • Misaligned growth
  • Baby teeth remaining in place
  • Blockage by cyst

There is a potential genetic component to impacted teeth. You’re more likely to develop impactions if one or more of your parents experienced the same. As with all medical conditions, that genetic predisposition doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to need impacted teeth removal.

Symptoms to Be on the Lookout For

In some cases, there are no symptoms of tooth impaction. In other cases, one or more of the following symptoms may present:

  • Changing positions for fully erupted teeth
  • Discomfort during chewing
  • Swollen gums
  • Jawline swelling
  • Gum pain
  • Bleeding gums
  • Jaw pain
  • Unpleasant breath and/or taste

What Are the Complications That Can Arise?

The biggest complication of an impacted tooth is shifting in other teeth. As the impacted tooth pushes on the roots of neighboring teeth, they can shift out of place. Those teeth may then put pressure on other teeth, which may also shift out of place.

You can avoid that domino effect by contacting Lovett Dental Northside for impacted teeth removal as soon as you become aware there’s a problem. We act fast to assess the situation and schedule removal of the impacted tooth before further damage can occur. We do everything possible to keep our patients comfortable throughout this process.

What to Expect from Impacted Teeth Removal

We often use a combination of oral surgery and orthodontics to treat impacted teeth and keep every patient smiling with confidence. In some cases, we need to make room for the impacted tooth to emerge as intended. In other cases, surgical removal of the impacted tooth is the best remedy.

When you consult with our team, we will thoroughly assess the impacted tooth to determine the best course of action. We strive to make tooth extractions accessible and affordable for our Texas clients. You will know what is happening at every point of treatment, and our professional staff is always available to answer questions.

Treatment for Impacted Teeth at Lovett Dental Northside

We treat tooth impaction with great care. We do everything possible to help impacted teeth move through the gum and take their natural place with time. When that isn’t possible, we can perform a complete tooth extraction to prevent further complications and stop any discomfort you’re experiencing.

In addition to tooth extractions, we provide a variety of cosmetic and general dental services, including but not limited to:

If you’re concerned that you may have an impacted tooth or other dental problems, contact us at 713-691-5551, or contact us online to schedule an appointment with our compassionate, well-trained dental team. We look forward to improving your dental health and ensuring you have access to quality care right when it is needed.