What are the different types of Impaction?
The impacted tooth falls under any one of the following categories. • Mesioangular impaction – this is the most common form of impaction and forms 44% of the cases; in this the tooth is angled forward, towards the front of the mouth. • Vertical impaction – occurs in 38% of the case; in this the tooth formed does not erupt fully through the gum line. • Distoangular impaction – occurs in 6% of the cases; in this the tooth is angled backward, towards the rear of the mouth. • Horizontal impaction – occurs only in 3% of the cases and is the least commonly occurring impaction; in this the tooth is angled fully ninety degrees forward, growing into the roots of the second molar. Another method of categorizing impaction is based on the extent of encasing in the jawbone. If the tooth is completely encased in the jawbone, it is known as a bony impaction. On the other hand if the wisdom tooth has erupted out of the jawbone and not through the gum line, it is called a soft tissue impaction.
