Impacted teeth
Teeth that do not erupt on schedule should be treated. In some cases, an operculectomy (cutting a window in the soft tissue) can be performed to allow the tooth to complete eruption. In most cases, the impacted teeth should be surgically extracted because they have a tendency to cause the formation of dentigerous cysts. These cysts can destroy the surrounding bone leading to pathologic fracture and/or loss of adjacent teeth. Dentigerous cysts are generally not painful and may not be visible without diagnostic imaging.