What is a Horizontal Impaction?

Have you been told that you need to have your wisdom teeth removed due to one or more horizontal impactions in Indianapolis, IN? If this is the first time you’ve heard of this occurring, it can sound quite scary. But your dentist at Indiana Emergency Dental is very experienced with horizontal impactions. Here’s what you need to know:

What is a Horizontal Impaction?

A “regular” impacted tooth is one that fails to erupt above the gum line, even though it’s in the vertical position. It most often happens with wisdom teeth, although it can happen with any tooth. A horizontal impaction is when the tooth is not positioned correctly in the first place; it’s in a horizontal or diagonal position, and not “pointing” upward as it should. Teeth in this horizontal position will not erupt above the gum line, so they are impacted. The most important thing to know about a horizontal impaction is that it’s a kind of emergency. The reason is that if it’s not promptly addressed, other dental problems will occur. This is why such a tooth must be extracted or remedied in another manner.

Causes of Horizontal Impactions

The most common reason why horizontal impactions occur is a lack of space in the jaw. Heredity is part of the puzzle, but there could be other developmental issues at play that factor into why a person may develop a horizontal impaction. Remember, different people have different jaw sizes, too. So, even if heredity is not a factor in an individual case, the size of their jaw may have contributed to the horizontal impaction.

Your emergency dentist in Indianapolis, IN will regularly check your teeth for any potential problems, including horizontal impactions. Please contact us today to book your next dentist appointment or to learn more.