Impacted Canines

If you or your child has impacted canines in Tyler, TX, or Palestine, TX, Southern Surgical Arts can help. Impacted teeth earn their name because they become trapped beneath the gums. We can work as a team with you and your orthodontist to help clear a path for your canines to grow into the correct position.

When canines become impacted, it’s important to treat them as soon as possible. The longer canines stay trapped, the more their roots develop and fuse with the bone beneath your gums. In some cases, it becomes impossible for the teeth to emerge normally. Canines are crucial for tearing food and guiding the alignment of the other adult teeth, so it’s important to have impacted canines treated as soon as possible. Luckily, regular dental visits allow your doctor to track the progress of developing canines and ensure they are growing in properly.

What causes impacted canines?

Canine teeth are some of the most likely to become impacted. They have very long roots, which means they require a lot of space. When teeth are overcrowded, sometimes there is not enough room for canines to come in. In other cases, the baby teeth do not fall out in time for the new teeth to develop. Unusual growths can also block the growth track of the canines, making it impossible for the teeth to emerge normally.

Preventing and Treating Impacted Canines

Depending on the growth stage of your teeth, your oral surgeon can work with your orthodontist to develop a treatment plan for your impacted canines. The earlier a patient seeks treatment, the better their chances of the teeth erupting naturally. If there is space for the canines to grow in by age 11 or 12, they will probably be able to grow in normally. Most dental professionals recommend having a dental exam with X-rays around age 7 or 8 to determine whether or not braces will be necessary to make space.

You may be referred to an oral surgeon if the baby teeth do not fall out in time for the new canines to grow in. Sometimes simply extracting the baby teeth allows the adult canines to grow in normally. If the adult canines have developed too much without erupting (around ages 13–14), they most likely will not erupt on their own. In these situations, exposure and bonding treatment is usually an effective treatment method. After preparing the teeth with braces, your oral surgeon will expose the canines and bond a small bracket and chain to the tooth. Your orthodontist will use this small bracket to pull your canines gently into place using your braces.

If canines remain impacted well into adulthood, they will likely be fused with the bone beneath the gums, making it impossible for them to emerge. In cases like this, oral surgeons can usually still extract the impacted teeth and use dental implants or another tooth replacement option to restore your smile.

Impacted Canine Treatment at Southern Surgical Arts

If your child requires care for impacted teeth, you can rest assured that they are in good hands at our offices in Tyler, TX, and Palestine, TX. Our trained oral surgeons have extensive experience in pediatric care, and they work hard to ensure your child feels comfortable and ready for their procedure. To learn more about impacted canine treatments at our practice or to schedule a consultation, feel free to contact one of our offices.