What Is a Bony Impacted Tooth?

Many people have impacted teeth, and sometimes these impacted teeth cause problems. A tooth impacted in the bone can be both annoying and painful.

Identification

• A bony impacted tooth refers to a tooth that has not emerged because it is covered by bone. It can be bony impacted or partially bony impacted.

Cause

• A tooth may become impacted in the bone if there isn’t enough room in the mouth for it to emerge. It can also become impacted if it tries to emerge at an odd angle or position.

Effects

• A bony impacted tooth can cause jaw pain and tenderness. This pain can then lead to a long drawn out jaw ache or headache.

Solution

• A dentist performs a tooth extraction if the tooth is causing problems such as pain or infections. A tooth impacted in the bone may require an oral surgeon. The difficulty of the extraction is determined by dental x-rays taken before the surgery.

Consideration

• Extracting a tooth from the bone is best done before the age of 30 when the bone is more flexible. An older person has more rigid bones that can easily crack and break under too much pressure from a tooth extraction.