Impacted tooth

Impaction in the AAO glossary, and the everyday word stuck

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) defines the term under Impaction in its Glossary of Orthodontic Terms: “A tooth that does not erupt into the mouth or only erupts partially is considered impacted.”

The AAO’s page on impacted teeth, dated February 13, 2026, says the same in plainer words: “An impacted tooth is a tooth that does not erupt (come in) the way it should. Instead of breaking through the gum line, it becomes stuck in the gum tissue or the jawbone or only partially erupts.”

Stuck is the everyday word, and the same AAO page gives the reasons a tooth gets stuck, “meaning it cannot fully come in because something is blocking it, it has taken the wrong pathway, or there isn’t enough room.”

Guided into place, monitored or removed: the orthodontist’s assessment

What an orthodontist does about an impacted tooth starts with an exam and imaging, and the AAO says “This information helps determine whether the tooth can be guided into place, should be monitored, or needs removal.” Removal, and any surgical exposure of the tooth, are an oral surgeon’s work.

For an impacted upper canine, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) adds that “Orthodontic treatment normally is required to create space or align the canine.”

Where impacted teeth are looked for, and answered in full

Impacted teeth are among what an orthodontist looks for below the gum line, and the AAO’s page on the age-7 visit says “orthodontists use panoramic x-rays to check below the surface to look for extra teeth, missing teeth, impacted teeth or teeth coming into the wrong positions.”

Which teeth are impacted most often, how one is found and what each path involves are answered on the page explaining what an orthodontist does about an impacted tooth. Root resorption, a word the AAPD uses when it lists x-ray signs of an impacted canine, is explained in the glossary of orthodontic terms.