Have an Erupted Tooth? Symptoms, Treatments & Relief
Table of Contents
- Super-Erupted Teeth
- Signs of a Super-Erupted Tooth
- Partially Erupted Teeth
- Wisdom Teeth Removal
In children, erupted teeth are normal. Your “baby teeth” fall out and are replaced with the adult set of teeth, which erupt from the gums to move the original set of teeth out of the way. This usually occurs between 6 and 7 years old. By the time you reach 12 to 13 years old, you will have 28 of your permanent teeth in place. Between 17 and 21 years old, your wisdom teeth, or final back molars, may begin to come in. These are typically removed around the time they start erupting, as there is often not enough space in your jaw to accommodate them. If they aren’t removed, they can cause painful partial eruptions, overeruptions in other teeth, and other uncomfortable issues. As permanent teeth come in, some people experience oral problems like partial eruptions or overeruptions. Wisdom teeth that are not removed before they come in may cause lasting problems too.
Super-Erupted Teeth & Dental Hygiene Problems
A super-erupted, or overerupted, tooth can occur when another tooth is removed.
For example, if a molar is removed due to underlying disease that damages the tooth, the opposite molar may begin to erupt further out of the gums because it does not have something to stabilize it. When the removed tooth is replaced with an implant, a dentist may need to assess the surrounding teeth to ensure there are no structural issues that require reshaping to create an even plane.
Signs of a Super-Erupted Tooth
You may have a super-erupted tooth if you have the following:
A tooth that juts up higher than its neighbors
A tooth that seems wobbly
A tooth that is very sensitive
Pain in the area
Headaches and jaw pain
If you experience these symptoms, you need to call a dentist. The situation won’t get better on its own. In fact, the super-eruption will continue, exposing more of the root and causing more pain.
Super-erupted teeth are prone to cavities, root damage, and other issues. See a dentist promptly to have the situation assessed.
In addition to the signs above, other symptoms of a super-erupted tooth may include the following:
Continuous decay problems and cavities
Recurring infection and inflammation of the gums
Feeling that teeth are not biting naturally or correctly
Feeling of instability in the mouth
Dark surface that is visible on gums
About 92 percent of unopposed teeth can super-erupt. When a tooth is removed, the opposing tooth may move and continue to erupt until it reaches your gums. This can cause your teeth to shift and become crooked, and it can damage your gums. Exposed areas on the erupted tooth can be painful and lead to infection.
The treatment for a super-erupted tooth will vary depending on the situation but may include the following:
Using orthodontic treatment (such as braces or aligners) to shift the super-erupted tooth into position
Filing down the problematic portion of the super-erupted tooth and covering it with a crown
Adding an implant to oppose the super-erupted tooth and provide structure to the bite
Reshaping the super-erupted tooth
Partially Erupted Teeth Can Cause Pain & Misalignment
Pericoronitis is the medical term describing partially erupted teeth. Sometimes, permanent teeth do not come in or only partially come in, especially if they do not have enough room between teeth or in the jaws to erupt to their proper place.
Partial eruptions are hard to clean and increase your risk of tooth or gum infections. Partially erupted teeth are also called impacted teeth.
Impacted teeth are common and in many instances go unnoticed until a visit to the dentist. Your dentist may see that you have a tooth that is shorter than the other teeth, and they can use x-rays to see that it is not completely in place.
Symptoms of partially erupted teeth include the following:
Bad breath (halitosis)
Pain in jaw or gums
Headaches
Gum problems around the affected tooth, such as puffiness, redness, and bleeding
Bad taste in the mouth, especially when biting with affected tooth
Gap in gums
Recurring decay and cavities
Bite problems (teeth misalignment, also called malocclusion)
In cases of children and adolescents, dentists may apply a sealant to the tooth affected by partial eruption in order to prevent decay and cavities.
If you have an impacted, or partially erupted, tooth, your dentist will create a treatment plan that starts by cleaning and flushing the area around the tooth. This removes debris. If you have an abscess, it starts to clean out the bacteria.
Then, x-rays will tell your dentist whether the tooth might erupt eventually or if it will remain impacted. The tooth may need to be removed and replaced with an implant.
If the affected tooth can erupt on its own, you may need to straighten your teeth to make room. Treatment may include tooth extraction, and an orthodontic correction with braces or aligners.
Wisdom Teeth Often Need to be Removed
This is a set of adult molars that come in during the late adolescent and young adult years. For many people, these teeth cause problems. They may partially erupt, or they may become impacted and fail to erupt.
If one comes in without the opposing wisdom tooth, it can lead to overeruption. These teeth can shift your other permanent teeth, causing misalignment and oral hygiene problems. Sometimes, wisdom teeth have enough room to come in and not cause problems with oral hygiene or tooth alignment, but this is rare. The typical course of treatment is to preventatively remove these teeth when a person is in high school or college, whether the teeth have begun to erupt or not.
Impacted wisdom teeth can be a serious problem leading to infection. Symptoms may include the following:
Difficulty opening the mouth
Swelling around the jaw and in the mouth, near the affected tooth
Foul-smelling odor in the mouth
Bad taste in the mouth
Bleeding, sore, and/or tender gums
Pain around the tooth
If there are any signs of infection, seek immediate medical care. Signs of a wisdom tooth infection may include the following:
Fever
Chills
Toothache
Tooth sensitivity
Pus or fluid coming from the tooth
Swelling of the jaw or gums
Swollen lymph nodes
Even if symptoms of infection come and go, untreated oral infections can lead to infections in the bloodstream. These can travel throughout the body and infect other areas, including the heart. Over the course of an adult’s life, recurrent infections can lead to a feeling of malaise, trouble concentrating, and even organ damage.
The treatment for any issue with wisdom teeth is to remove them. This reduces the risk of infection and tooth misalignment. Unlike other teeth, wisdom teeth tend to be entirely removed and not replaced with implants. Most people have all four wisdom teeth removed at once. This may require going under general anesthesia, so you need to arrange for help getting home after the procedure. Recovery can take about two weeks, as the gums completely heal. You will have a visit with your dentist soon after that, so they can examine your mouth and ensure that you have healed well. You may be prescribed a preventative course of antibiotics. More often, some people choose local anesthesia during wisdom tooth removal. This process can be long and complex, so dentists still commonly recommend general anesthesia.
If an erupted, partially erupted, or impacted wisdom tooth has caused damage to a surrounding tooth, you may need further dental treatments, such as a filling, a root canal, or removal of that tooth.