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Impacted Canines Warren MI

Man holding face with painful teeth An impacted tooth simply means that it is “stuck” and cannot erupt into the mouth. The maxillary cuspid (upper eyetooth) is the second most common tooth to become impacted. The cuspid tooth is a critical tooth in the mouth and plays an important role in your “bite”. The cuspid teeth are very strong biting teeth and have the longest roots of any human teeth. They are designed to be the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together so they guide the rest of the teeth into the proper bite.

Tooth Pain? Call Summit Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at 568-755-9340

Normally, the maxillary cuspid teeth are the last of the “front” teeth to erupt into place. They usually come into place around age 13. If a cuspid tooth gets impacted, every effort is made to get it to erupt into its proper position in the dental arch.

Early Recognition of Impacted Eyeteeth Is The Key To Successful Treatment

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a panorex screening x-ray, along with a dental examination, be performed on all dental patients at around the age of seven years to count the teeth and determine if there are problems with eruption of the adult teeth. It is important to determine whether all the adult teeth are present or if some are missing. This exam is usually performed by your general dentist who will refer you to an orthodontist if a problem is identified. Treating such a problem may involve an orthodontist placing braces to open spaces to allow for proper eruption of the adult teeth. Treatment may also require referral to an oral surgeon for extraction of baby teeth and/or selected adult teeth that are blocking the eruption of the all-important eyeteeth exposure of canines.

What Happens If The Eyetooth Will Not Erupt When Proper Space Is Available?

In cases where the eyeteeth/canine will not erupt, the orthodontist and oral surgeon work together to get these unerupted eyeteeth to erupt. The most common scenario will call for the orthodontist to place braces on the teeth. A space will be opened to provide room for the impacted tooth to be moved into its proper position in the dental arch. Once the space is ready, the orthodontist will refer the patient to the oral surgeon to have the impacted eyetooth exposed and bracketed.

In a surgical procedure performed in the surgeon’s office, the gum on top of the impacted tooth will be lifted up to expose the hidden tooth underneath. Once the tooth is exposed, the oral surgeon will bond an orthodontic bracket to the exposed tooth. The bracket will have a miniature gold chain attached to it. The oral surgeon will guide the chain back to the orthodontic arch wire where it will be temporarily attached.