What is an "Impacted Wisdom Tooth"?

Question

I keep reading about that..what does it mean?

I am getting my wisdom teeth pulled soon, and I read that it hurts a lot more if they are impacted..what does that mean?

Answer 1

i been experienced i have remove my both wisdom

http://www.animated-teeth.com/wisdom_tee...

Answer 2

Here's a nice site with pictures:

http://www.animated-teeth.com/wisdom_tee...

EDIT: Well, OK, if you won't follow the link (which I think is very educational), I'll paste the relevant text right here.  You'll just have to miss out on the tooth drawings...

What are "wisdom teeth?"

A wisdom tooth is the same thing as a third molar. "Wisdom teeth" are a type of molar. Molars are the chewing teeth found furthest in the back of the mouth. Most humans have first, second, and third molars.

A person's third molars are their wisdom teeth. These teeth come in behind the 2nd molars (if there is room for them and they are aligned properly), usually during a person's late teens or early twenties. Typically a person will have four wisdom teeth: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right.

What are "impacted wisdom teeth?"

In dental terminology an "impacted" tooth refers to a tooth that has failed to emerge fully into its expected position. This failure to erupt properly might occur because there is not enough room in the person's jaw to accommodate the tooth, or because the angulation of the tooth is improper.

Classifications of impacted wisdom teeth.

Dentists use specific terms to describe the positioning of impacted wisdom teeth. The most common type of impacted wisdom tooth is one that is impacted mesially. The term "mesial" simply means that the wisdom tooth is angled forward, toward the front of the mouth.

A mesially impacted wisdom tooth. A vertically impacted wisdom tooth.

The other types of impactions, in order of frequency of occurrence, are the vertical, horizontal, and distal types.

A horizontally impacted wisdom tooth. A distally impacted wisdom tooth.

In addition to mesially, vertically, horizontally, and distally impacted, wisdom teeth can also be classified as soft tissue or bony impactions. The term "bony" impaction indicates that the wisdom tooth is still fully encased in the jaw's bone. A "soft tissue" impaction is one where the upper portion of a wisdom tooth (the tooth's crown) has penetrated through the bone, but has not yet erupted fully through the gums.

A bony third molar impaction. A soft tissue third molar impaction.

Why might a wisdom tooth be impacted?

The reason why some wisdom teeth are impacted is not an easy question to answer. A primary cause of wisdom tooth impaction is simply that there is inadequate jawbone space behind the person's second molar. Why this lack of space exists is not fully understood, however there does seem to be a correlation between large tooth size, tooth crowding, and the presence of impacted wisdom teeth.

Answer 3

They are up your gums and havent peaked yet.

Answer 4

It means that it is ether not out fully or isn't in the position it should be..

Say you have no more room in your mouth for the wisdom tooth, It'll go sideways trying to find a way out and just end up "Impacted"

and then you have to get it cut out rather than pulled. I'm sure you can see why that all would hurt more.

I recently got all four of mine removed, two of which were Impacted.

It's not that bad really. They gave me vicodin so i was quite happy.

Andd It only really bothered me for about four days.

Good luck. ^_~