What Is An Impacted Canine Tooth?
An impacted tooth is a blocked, stuck, or unable to fully erupt to the surface. The upper canine or eye tooth is the second most common tooth to become impacted with wisdom teeth being the most to be impacted. The upper canine teeth can become impacted for many different reasons. When they are impacted they may not be visible in the mouth. With minor oral surgery and orthodontics, impacted canines can be exposed and moved into proper position.
Generally impacted canine problems manifest themselves in children 7-10 years old during the process of losing their baby teeth. In most cases, permanent teeth can become crowded. Crowding happens when there is insufficient space for the teeth to erupt naturally, which can cause problems with alignment of the mouth for a good bite. Impacted teeth can develop abscesses and damage the roots of nearby teeth or create other negative changes in the jaw. Because canine teeth are so important to the bite and your smile, we make every attempt to save and utilize them, thus the need for oral surgery.
How Do You Fix An Impacted Canine Tooth?
Your oral health is of the utmost importance. To correct impacted canines, Dr. Orta would work in conjunction with your orthodontist to help get the tooth to erupt. While working closely with the orthodontist, every patient is evaluated on an individual basis to determine the best outcome. An x-ray examination will be done to determine the exact position of your impacted canine teeth and guide us in determining the surgical needs.
A simple surgical procedure will be performed in our office with local anesthesia. During the procedure, a small opening or flap in the gum tissue on top of the impacted tooth will made to expose the hidden and impacted tooth underneath. If a baby tooth is present, it will be removed at the same time. Once the tooth is exposed, the oral surgeon will bond, if necessary, an orthodontic bracket to the exposed tooth. The surgeon occasionally will leave the exposed and impacted tooth completely uncovered while suturing the gum above the tooth, or making a space in the gum covering the tooth thereby allowing the tooth to erupt naturally. After the surgery, the patient returns to the orthodontist who takes over to properly align the tooth into position in the mouth.
Find Out More About Impacted Canines
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Orta to discuss your impacted canine teeth needs. Surgically exposing impacted canine teeth is a simple and predictable procedure and very important way to retain your canine teeth. Operating on impacted canine teeth requires expertise and training in the planning, the surgery and the final success of your procedure – Dr. Orta has that experience. He will explain the benefits of canine teeth health, the process of getting the teeth to erupt to the surface and questions about healing during your consultation. Dr. Orta and his staff can formulate treatment plans that ensure a successful outcome for your impacted canine issues.