Impacted Tooth Exposure

If you have an impacted tooth, at Santa Clara Oral Surgery & Dental Implants we use state-of-the-art technology paired with expert skills to perform all of our procedures with precision. To find out more about our specialized care, call 408-248-9597 or contact us for a consultation.

What Is an Impacted Tooth?

An impacted tooth is a term that is used to describe any tooth that has become stuck or grown in an abnormal position and is unable to erupt on its own. The most common example of impacted teeth are third molars or wisdom teeth. These teeth grow in such a way that they become stuck in the back of the jaw and can cause issues such as infections, gum inflammation, or decay. Because there is typically no functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted if problems begin to develop.

The upper eye teeth, or maxillary cuspids, are the next most frequent teeth to become impacted such as when a baby tooth does not fall out on its own. These teeth are strong teeth that play a critical role in the ability to effectively bite and chew, in addition to helping guide the rest of your teeth into place for a properly aligned bite. Every effort is made to allow the permanent eye teeth to erupt and drop into their intended location. If a baby tooth is blocking that from occurring, it may need to be extracted to accommodate the eye tooth.

Benefits of Removing an Impacted Tooth

If you have one or multiple teeth that have become impacted, there are a variety of benefits to treating this condition rather than just leaving the impacted teeth as they are:

Improved appearance. Removing teeth that have become problematic allows for your teeth to function as intended or leads the way for repairs or restorations that can improve your smile by correcting imperfections and giving you confidence.
Improved dental health. Extracting wisdom teeth or baby teeth that are preventing your eye teeth from properly erupting can prevent dental problems as well as improve functionality of the teeth. With impacted eye teeth, early recognition of potential problems can lead to greater success with treatment, thereby reducing the chances of needing further, more involved procedures.
Improved gum health. Oral surgery to remove impacted wisdom teeth can prevent infection, thus making your gums healthier and less susceptible to gum disease.

Are You a Good Candidate for An Impacted Tooth Extraction?

At our office, we conduct a comprehensive examination to assess the overall picture of your oral health and how the tooth or teeth in question may compromise current or future conditions. We will work together with you to determine a plan for safe, comfortable tooth extraction of the impacted tooth or teeth.

Why Choose Santa Clara Oral Surgery & Dental Implants?

Santa Clara Oral Surgery & Dental Implants can help you make the right decision for what to do if you have an impacted tooth. Whether it be wisdom teeth that must be extracted or impacted eye teeth that need space for them to erupt in the proper place, we strive to handle your impacted tooth condition with the utmost care and concern for a safe, smooth and successful procedure.

Impacted Teeth FAQs

If I still have baby teeth where my adult eye teeth should be, will getting the baby teeth pulled solve the problem?

The maxillary cuspids, or upper eye teeth, usually fall into place by around age 13. However, earlier x-rays during a patient’s regular annual exams may reveal that they are growing in a fashion where impaction appears inevitable. If this occurs, removing the baby teeth as soon as possible greatly increases the chance of successful eruption. However, the later this is detected and addressed, the more likely an impacted eye tooth will not erupt by natural forces alone, even if the space is made available for the tooth, thus leading to a space that must be filled by a crown on a dental implant or a fixed dental bridge.

Does extraction of impacted teeth require stitches?

Once your impacted teeth have been extracted, stitches may be needed in some cases. If so, there is likely no need to return to the office to have them removed as oral stitches are designed to dissolve or come out on their own after the tissue has healed.

Will I be awake for removal of my impacted tooth?

The level of sedation used for the extraction of your impacted tooth or teeth will be determined by both the level of complexity of the procedure combined with your level of tolerance and comfort. We offer expert administration of various anesthesia techniques, including intravenous (IV) sedation to alleviate anxiety and ensure a calm and relaxed state during your procedure. With IV sedation, you remain mostly unconscious but able to respond to questions, and most likely unable to remember the procedure itself.

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