Impacted teeth are unerupted teeth that have completed their developmental period but have not taken their place in the mouth and remain in the soft tissues, jawbone or palate. Sometimes individuals may notice these teeth themselves without an examination. Sometimes they can be detected after an examination or radiography. The most common impacted teeth are upper and lower jaw wisdom teeth, canines and premolars.
Impacted teeth are not extracted with normal tooth extraction methods as other teeth are extracted. The position of these teeth in the jawbone, their eruption status and whether they are covered with bone and/or soft tissue are the conditions that distinguish them from normal tooth extractions.