Wisdom teeth
The third molars arrive last, usually in the late teens or twenties, and are the most commonly impacted teeth, especially in the lower jaw.
Teeth that cannot erupt
Impacted Teeth: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options in Dubai
An impacted tooth is stuck in the gum or bone instead of coming through. Many cause no trouble; some need removing, and some can be guided into place.
- 3D CBCT imaging for planning
- Surgeon and specialist orthodontists together
- Open daily 10:00–20:00
Bring any previous X-rays; they show whether the tooth has changed.
Quick answer
What is an impacted tooth?
An impacted tooth is one that cannot come through the gum into its normal position because another tooth, bone or a lack of space blocks it. Wisdom teeth and upper canines are the most common. Many cause no symptoms. At Creative Arts in Dubai, X-rays and a CBCT 3D scan show exactly where the tooth lies, and options range from monitoring to removal or, for canines, exposure with orthodontic guidance.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
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Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
What it is
What does it mean when a tooth is impacted?
Adult teeth develop inside the jaw and normally push through the gum at a fairly predictable age. A tooth is impacted when it has missed its window and is physically prevented from coming through: tilted against the tooth in front, covered by too much bone, or short of room in the arch.
Impaction comes in degrees. A tooth can be partly erupted, with a flap of gum over part of it, or fully buried in bone. Wisdom teeth are also described by their angle, from upright to lying horizontally, which affects both the risk of problems and how the tooth would be removed.
An impacted tooth is not the same as a late one. A late tooth has a clear path and room to move on the X-ray; an impacted one does not.
At a glance
Impacted teeth in brief
- Most often affected
- Wisdom teeth, then upper canines
- How it is often found
- On a routine X-ray, with no symptoms at all
- When it does cause symptoms
- Swollen, sore gum at the back, a bad taste, or a baby tooth that never falls out
- Imaging
- A panoramic X-ray, and a CBCT 3D scan when the tooth lies near a nerve, the sinus or other roots
- Options
- Monitor, treat gum infection, remove, or uncover and guide into place
- Who treats you
- Dr. Firas Osman (surgery) with specialist orthodontists Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz and Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko
- Where
- 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Dubai — open daily 10:00–20:00
Which teeth
Which teeth are most likely to be impacted?
The last teeth to erupt in each part of the mouth are the most often left without room.
Upper canines
The eye teeth travel a long way before erupting, and some end up lying towards the palate or the lip.
Lower second premolars
These can stay buried, especially if the baby molar above is retained or space was lost after it came out early.
Upper front teeth in children
Less often, a central incisor is held back by an extra tooth or after an injury to the baby tooth above it.
Symptoms
Signs that an impacted tooth may be causing trouble
Most impacted teeth are silent. When they cause problems, these are the usual signs.
Sore, swollen gum at the back
Food and bacteria trapped under the gum flap over a partly erupted wisdom tooth cause pericoronitis: tender gum, pain on biting and sometimes a stiff jaw.
Bad taste or breath
A persistent unpleasant taste from the back of the mouth, sometimes with discharge around the tooth.
A baby tooth that stays
A baby canine or molar still in place well after the usual age, or a gap where an adult tooth should be, can mean the adult tooth is stuck.
Problems with the next tooth
Decay, sensitivity or gum pockets on the molar in front of a tilted wisdom tooth, where food is hard to clean away.
Causes and risks
Why teeth become impacted, and what can happen if they stay
The commonest cause is lack of space: the jaw is not long enough for the last teeth to arrive. A tooth can also develop at the wrong angle, or be blocked by an extra tooth, a retained baby tooth or thick bone. Impacted canines tend to run in families.
Many impacted teeth sit quietly for life. Problems that can develop include:
- Gum infection around a partly erupted wisdom tooth, which often recurs.
- Decay or bone loss on the neighbouring molar, where the gap between the teeth traps food.
- Damage to neighbouring roots: an impacted canine can wear away the roots of the front teeth beside it, often silently.
- A cyst around the crown of the buried tooth, usually found on an X-ray; see jaw cyst removal.
The belief that wisdom teeth push the front teeth crooked has weak evidence behind it; crowding in adult life is a question for an orthodontist, not on its own a reason to remove wisdom teeth.
Seek prompt dental assessment if…
the gum around a back tooth is swollen and painful; you cannot open your mouth fully; pus or a bad taste keeps returning; or you feel feverish with pain at the back of the jaw. The clinic is open daily, 10:00–20:00, with no overnight service. Facial or neck swelling with difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading towards the eye, needs a hospital emergency department straight away.
Diagnosis
How impacted teeth are diagnosed and planned
The aim is to know exactly where the tooth is, what lies next to it and whether it is doing harm.
Examination and history
Symptoms, past infections, any baby teeth still in place and earlier X-rays are reviewed, and the gum and neighbouring teeth are checked.
Visit 1X-ray, then CBCT where needed
A panoramic X-ray shows the angle and position of the tooth. When it lies near the nerve, the sinus or the front-tooth roots, a CBCT 3D scan shows its exact position.
Visit 1Orthodontic opinion for canines
If a canine or premolar might be brought into line, a specialist orthodontist assesses the space, the bite and the movement needed.
As neededWritten plan
You receive the options, including monitoring, with their alternatives and costs, before any treatment is agreed.
Same or next visit
Treatment options
Impacted teeth treatment, from monitoring to surgery
Which row fits depends on the tooth, its position, your age and whether it is causing harm.
| Option | When it fits | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring with X-rays | A fully buried wisdom tooth with no symptoms and no disease around it | Check-ups and an X-ray at intervals; the decision is revisited if anything changes |
| Treating gum infection | Pericoronitis around a partly erupted wisdom tooth | Cleaning under the gum flap and rinses; antibiotics only if infection spreads. Repeated episodes usually lead to removal |
| Early orthodontic assessment | A child's canine or premolar that appears off course while still developing | The specialist orthodontist explains whether monitoring or any early step is advisable, case by case |
| Exposure and orthodontic alignment | An impacted canine or other important tooth in a position braces can reach | The surgeon uncovers the tooth and bonds a small attachment; braces then draw it into line over months |
| Surgical removal, including wisdom tooth removal | Wisdom teeth causing infection, decay or damage, or teeth that cannot be moved | Usually under local anaesthetic, with sedation if preferred; a few days of swelling and soreness |
| Removal, then closing or filling the space | An impacted front tooth that cannot be saved or moved | The orthodontist may close the space, or a bridge or single implant is planned once growth is complete |
After removal, see swelling after oral surgery for the usual timeline, and dry socket for pain that worsens after an extraction.
What not every case needs
Does every impacted tooth need to come out?
No. Removing a healthy, symptom-free impacted tooth has its own risks, so the decision weighs what the tooth is doing now against what surgery involves.
Often reasonable to monitor
- A wisdom tooth fully covered by bone, with no symptoms and healthy teeth around it
- A deeply buried tooth where removal would put the nerve at more risk than leaving it
- An impacted tooth found by chance, unchanged on comparison X-rays
Treatment is usually discussed when
- Gum infection keeps returning around a partly erupted tooth
- The neighbouring tooth has decay, bone loss or root damage
- A cyst or other change shows around the impacted tooth
- A canine could be guided into place, and the timing is right
Who treats you
The team that assesses impacted teeth
Dr. Firas Osman, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist, removes and exposes impacted teeth. Specialist orthodontists Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz and Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko assess whether a tooth can be brought into line and guide it with braces.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Do impacted wisdom teeth always need to be removed?
No. A wisdom tooth that is fully buried, causes no symptoms and is not harming the teeth around it is often monitored with check-ups and occasional X-rays. Removal is usually recommended when there is repeated gum infection, decay or damage to the neighbouring tooth, a cyst, or another clear reason. The decision is made tooth by tooth.
Can an impacted tooth come through on its own?
Sometimes, if it is only slightly delayed and has a clear path. In a young patient, creating space can let some teeth erupt by themselves, which is why early orthodontic assessment matters. A tooth lying at a steep angle or deep in the bone in an adult is unlikely to come through unaided.
Is an impacted tooth a problem if it does not hurt?
Not necessarily; many impacted teeth cause no harm for life. But some problems are silent, such as decay on the neighbouring molar, root damage from an impacted canine or a cyst, and show only on X-rays. That is why an impacted tooth is checked periodically, even when it feels fine.
Can impacted wisdom teeth make my front teeth crooked?
The evidence that wisdom teeth push the front teeth out of line is weak. Front teeth often shift slightly over a lifetime for other reasons, including after braces without long-term retention. If crowding bothers you, start with an orthodontic assessment rather than removing wisdom teeth for that reason alone.
Why do I need a CBCT scan for an impacted tooth?
A standard X-ray is flat, so it cannot always show whether an impacted tooth touches a nerve, the sinus or another tooth's root. A CBCT 3D scan shows the tooth from every angle, which helps decide whether to remove, expose or monitor it, and plan the safest approach.
Can impacted teeth be removed under sedation?
Yes. Impacted teeth are usually removed under local anaesthetic, and sedation can be added for anxious patients or when several teeth come out together, after a medical-history review. General anaesthesia is considered for selected cases.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
Wisdom teethWisdom tooth removal3D planning, surgery and recovery for impacted wisdom teeth.CaninesImpacted canine exposureUncovering a buried canine and guiding it into line with braces.SurgeryJaw cyst removalCysts found on X-rays, including around buried teeth.ChildrenEarly orthodontic assessmentChecking tooth development, including canines, around age seven.GuideSedation vs general anaesthesiaHow the anaesthesia options for oral surgery compare.SurgeryOral and maxillofacial surgerySurgical care, planning and anaesthesia at Creative Arts.
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- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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