Exposure & Bonding of Impacted Teeth

Impacted teeth are teeth that have failed to grow into the mouth appropriately and remain stuck beneath the gums. While this impaction can develop for a variety of reasons, oral surgeons are in agreement that if a tooth is impacted, it should be treated to mitigate any future oral health problems that may arise as a result. The most common impacted teeth are the third molars, or wisdom teeth, which are often removed from the back of the mouth.

The canine teeth are also one of the most likely teeth to become impacted. The canines or eyeteeth are the pointy teeth near the front of the mouth and are some of the strongest teeth in the mouth. They have the longest roots of all of the teeth and play a crucial role in the ability to bite and chew food. During development and early adolescence, many patients have canines that fail to erupt into the dental arch because of abnormal growth and crowding.

Most orthodontists make every effort to guide the canines to complete eruption because they play a critical role in a patient’s bite. The canine teeth can be impacted to the cheek side or trapped on the roof of the mouth (palate). Patients are often referred for treatment by an oral surgeon who can perform a specialized surgical procedure to fix this problem.

Exposure & Bonding

One of the most common treatments for impacted canine teeth is a method called exposure and bonding. Dr. Bobst and your orthodontist work together to ensure the proper alignment of the rest of the teeth to allow the impacted tooth to come in. The procedure, usually done under IV sedation, consists of making a small incision in the gums and identifying the impacted tooth. Bone is removed, and a bracket and chain are placed on the tooth. A few weeks after surgery, your orthodontist will attach a small rubber band to the chain and will start pulling the tooth into the dental arch.

Dr. Bobst offers surgical procedures to correct impacted canines to patients in Boise and throughout Idaho. If you are in need of exposure and bonding treatment for an impacted canine tooth or multiple canine teeth or if you have any questions about impacted canines or the procedure, please call our office at (208) 322-5522 today to set up your initial consultation.