Impacted

Impacted is an adjective and the past participle of impact. It describes something that has been pressed into or against something else, or that has been affected by a force or influence. The term can denote physical obstruction, as when a part cannot develop or move normally because of crowding or external blockage. It is also used figuratively to indicate that an event or factor has had a strong or lasting effect on a person, organization, or system.

In medical usage, the word is common in dentistry and gastroenterology. An impacted tooth fails to erupt into the dental arch within the usual time. Impacted third molars are frequent, often requiring evaluation and sometimes surgical removal if they cause pain or risk of infection. In gastroenterology, fecal impaction refers to a condition where hardened stool becomes stuck in the colon or rectum.

The term also appears in general discourse to describe effects on a system. For example, a policy change may have impacted the market, or a disaster may have impacted infrastructure. The noun form impaction is used in more technical senses, such as dental impaction or fecal impaction, to denote the condition or process of being impacted. Etymology traces to Latin impactus, meaning something driven in or pressed.