Impacted Molar

“My dentist told me that I have an impacted left molar on my mandible. What does that mean? What is a tooth impaction? Will it get a cavity? Should I get the tooth removed or what? The area where the tooth is is slightly swollen and quite tender to the touch. That molar is also somewhat smaller than the molars around it, or the molars on the other side. Why is that? My dentist mentioned that the molar had to be removed surgically, but I do not want to go under the knife, as it is not that painful, just a little bit. Is there any other option for treating an impacted molar?

Thank for your help,

Gertrude”

Dear Gertrude,

Thank you for contacting me. An impacted tooth means that the tooth has not grown out in the specific place that was meant for it in the allotted time. So if a tooth only partially erupts out of the gingiva, or does not erupt, or erupts in a completely different place from where it was supposed to go, then that tooth is said to be impacted. This can mean that the tooth only partially erupted,like yours, but can also mean that the tooth grew out of, for example, the soft tissues near the chin.

In your case, we can say that the molar has only partially erupted, and this is why it is smaller than the others,a s only a part of it is showing. Why it only partially erupted is beyond me, it may be a condition of the gingiva, or it may be too crowded, or a number of other things, and depending on why it has failed to grow completely, and what condition your molar happens to be in, you may need to have it extracted. If you feel like it may not be necessary, get a second medical opinion from somewhere else, although it may very likely be the case that you need to have the molar surgically removed. This needs to be done when the molar is infected, or is causing harm to the other teeth near it, like when it is too close to them, and every time you bite they are getting scraped.

You mention pain and softness and sensitivity in the gums around the tooth. This is classic pericoronitis. Basically, part of your tooth that should be above the gumline is below it, and is hurting the gums that are covering it. This is because the gums are not built to deal with that sharp,pointy and massive part of the tooth. Aside from this, since it is constantly getting cut up, the gums cannot heal there, and are thus getting infected by the bacteria that would otherwise not harm them at all, and that form a natural part of your oral environment. The sensitivity and swelling are signs of an infection of this nature being present.

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