What are "impacted wisdom teeth"?
In dental terminology “impacted” means that a tooth has failed to emerge fully into its expected position. This may occur either because there is not room enough in the jaw for the tooth, or else because the angulation of the tooth is improper.
How is the tooth removed?
Depending on the size shape and position of the tooth, removal can vary from a simple extraction to a more complex extraction.
A wisdom tooth that is fully erupted through the gum can be extracted as easily as any other tooth. However, a wisdom tooth that is underneath the gums and embedded in the jawbone will require an incision into the gums and then removal of the portion of bone that lies over the tooth. Oftentimes for a tooth in this situation, the tooth will be extracted in small sections rather than removed in one piece to minimize the amount of bone that needs to be removed to get the tooth out.