An impacted tooth is a tooth that is unable to grow into the dental arch because it is trapped beneath gum tissue or bone. Any tooth can become impacted, but wisdom teeth and canine teeth are most commonly affected. Since canine teeth play an important role in the health and function of the mouth, special efforts are made to help the impacted tooth emerge properly. In general, this treatment, called expose and bond, is a cooperative effort between the patient's orthodontist and oral surgeon.
For many years, patients in Crystal Lake have been relying on Dr. Gregory Lehman and Dr. Michael Menis for unparalleled oral surgery care and services. If your dentist has referred your child for the treatment of impacted canines, we invite you to contact us for an appointment. Our team goes above and beyond to provide an outstanding experience along every step of your child's treatment at our friendly and welcoming practice, and we look forward to helping you and your child through this process.
What Causes an Impacted Canine?
Canine teeth can become impacted for a number of reasons. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Baby teeth have not fallen out as they should.
- Growths are blocking the tooth's path.
- Crowded or misaligned teeth are blocking the tooth's path.
- There are extra teeth in the mouth.
Early Recognition of Impacted Teeth is Key to Successful Treatment
It's important to attend regular checkups with a general dentist. At these appointments, the dentist will typically take X-rays of your face and teeth and identify signs of impaction. If impaction is detected and a path for the tooth to erupt is made roughly by the age of 12, there's a chance the canine will properly erupt on its own. The older the patient, the more likely an impacted tooth will not naturally erupt into the dental arch. This is why it's crucial to treat impacted teeth early. Younger patients also generally heal faster and have smoother recoveries.
Impacted Canine Tooth Surgery: The Expose and Bond Procedure
Expose and bond is a common method of guiding an impacted canine tooth into its proper position and is a team effort between an orthodontist and an oral surgeon. We will likely take 3D CBCT scans of your face and mouth during your first appointment with us, as well as discuss your anesthesia and sedation options to ensure you feel comfortable and at ease during the procedure. The orthodontist prepares the teeth with braces to create a space in the dental arch for the impacted tooth. If the baby canine tooth has not yet fallen out, we may perform a tooth extraction to help facilitate the eruption of the impacted tooth, or we may remove it at the time of the exposure phase of the procedure.
Once the space is ready, the orthodontist will refer the patient to the oral surgeon to perform a minor surgical procedure to expose the tooth. The surgeon will bond a bracket and chain to the tooth and use the chain to help the canine tooth move into its correct position in the dental arch. This is a gentle and controlled process that may take up to a full year to complete.
Treatment for Impacted Canines in Crystal Lake
The management of impacted canine teeth is usually highly successful, and as experienced oral surgeons, Dr. Lehman and Dr. Menis are experts in making sure this process goes as smoothly as possible for patients of all ages. If you are ready to request a consultation with our oral surgeons, please contact us today. We look forward to caring for patients of all ages in Crystal Lake, Chicago, and other nearby areas.