An impacted tooth is a tooth that does not properly erupt. After the wisdom teeth, the most commonly impacted teeth are the canine teeth. The canine teeth are incredibly important, helping you to chew properly and framing your smile to give you a more aesthetic appearance. Impacted canine teeth can also cause damage to the adjacent teeth, leading to tooth loss or the development of other problems around the tooth, such as cysts or tumors. One of the treatments our oral surgeon may recommend to treat an impacted canine tooth is exposure and bonding.

In order to treat impacted teeth, an orthodontist and oral surgeon may be involved in the treatment. Canine exposure and bonding involves uncovering the impacted tooth and bonding an orthodontic attachment to it. This attachment is connected to a small chain, usually made of gold, and a rubber band. The chain and band work to apply gentle traction and pressure to help the tooth erupt and move into the correct position in the mouth.
For more information about canine exposure and to schedule a consultation with our oral surgeon, call our office today.