Canine Exposure

When is this required?

When a tooth fails to emerge through the gums, it is considered to be an impacted tooth. This commonly occurs in the case of canine teeth.

Why is important to expose/remove impacted teeth?  

It is important to treat an impacted tooth in order to prevent the improper eruption of nearby teeth, cyst formation, possible infection or other negative changes in the jaw.

In order to determine the correct treatment for you, your dentist will examine your teeth and radiographs to determine the position of the impacted tooth as well as the condition of your gums.

What are the treatment options?

One of the treatment options is to surgically expose the tooth in order to guide it to the right position in your jaw. In most cases, you will need to have space created in your jaw through orthodontics prior to the surgical treatment.

Depending on the location, there are different methods of accomplishing the surgical exposure of your tooth.

If the impacted canine is close to the palate, your dentist will have two options depending on the exact position of the tooth.

The first option is for your dentist to expose the tooth in order to allow it to erupt on its own. Once the surgery is completed, your dentist may place a protective dressing over the surgical site while it heals. This method will allow the canine tooth to emerge until it is at the level of the adjacent teeth, after which the teeth can be aligned with braces.

The second option is for your dentist to expose the tooth and then attach an orthodontic bracket to it either at the time of surgery or shortly after in order to help guide the tooth to the level of the adjacent teeth.