Horizontal Impactions of Wisdom Teeth
Horizontal impactions occur when a wisdom tooth essentially lies sideways along the gumline instead of emerging to become a healthy third molar. Impactions can be full or partial, but the horizontal variety is almost always full. At Indiana Emergency Dental, our team can help you extract these teeth before they cause infection or cavities.
Understanding Horizontal Impactions
Many people will visit an emergency dentist in Indianapolis, IN, for horizontal impactions because it’s one of the most painful conditions you can have. Due to their positioning, the teeth will put pressure on the surrounding teeth, and it doesn’t take long to build up to an unbearable crescendo. Other symptoms of an impacted wisdom tooth include a foul) taste in your mouth (which will lead to bad breath), redness, swelling, or difficulty opening the mouth up all the way.
A fully impacted tooth won’t be visible because it will be entirely submerged. If you have a rare partial horizontal impact, the dentist will be able to see at least a tiny part of the tooth. In some cases, your wisdom tooth will be under both the gums and the jawbone (known as hard tissue impaction). In others, the tooth will have emerged from the jawbone but not through the gums (known as soft tissue impaction).
The best course of treatment will depend on how the tooth is positioned, how healthy your other teeth and gums are, the risk of complications after the procedure, as well as your preference. If the tooth isn’t causing any pain, you might take a wait-and-see approach without causing adverse effects on the other teeth. However, as a general rule, these teeth are usually better off being removed. Your dentist will give you the options and make their professional recommendations.
The Removal Process
The removal process for horizontal impaction in Indianapolis, IN, will generally entail the following:
- Anesthesia: This can be either local or general anesthesia. In either case, the area will be numb enough so the patient doesn’t feel any pain once the agents have kicked in.
- Incision: The dentist will need to cut into the gum tissues in order to get to the tooth. From there, the bone around the teeth will be removed.
- Removal: The tooth will then be taken out before the gum tissue is closed back up and secured.
The procedure itself doesn’t take very long, but it’s critical to find the right dentist who can help. Whether you’re nervous about what’s going to happen or you just want to cut down on your recovery time, the staff at a reputable office will have both the equipment and the experience to help you feel more comfortable before, during, and after a horizontal impaction removal.
The Recovery Process
Due to the complexities of a sideways tooth, the recovery process for horizontal impactions can be a longer one than other wisdom tooth removals. There’s also more risk for complications, including infections. In addition to following all the dentist’s instructions, it helps to work with a staff who has seen how different types of patients react to the same procedure. The more expertise they have, the more you can rest easy about your treatment.
Dentists in Indianapolis
If you have an impaction, failing to take action is more than just an exercise in pain management. You could be opening yourself up to additional damage, especially if there’s mounting pressure on the surrounding teeth. This could potentially mean more extractions in the future. At Indiana Emergency Dental, our entire practice was built around the benefits of instant access to care. If you can take care of a horizontal impaction now, you can potentially avoid a slew of other procedures in the future.
