A typical adult dentition (set of teeth) is made up of four different tooth types: incisors (front cutting teeth), canines (also called cuspids or “eye teeth”), bicuspids/premolars, and molars. The canine teeth have exceptionally long roots and are predominantly used for tearing firmer food textures. There are only four of these teeth, with one positioned at each corner of the mouth.
Unfortunately, sometimes those eye teeth can become wedged or impacted down inside of the bone and gums. When that happens, they tend to get caught against the adjacent teeth. They don’t erupt or may start to partially erupt quite high on the gum tissues (above your other teeth.)
Since canines are typically one of the last sets of teeth to erupt, you may not notice a problem until your child is around 12 or 13 years old. In the meantime, you can watch for some of the following risk factors to prevent major orthodontic concerns as your child develops:
- A narrow arch-shape
- Crowding in their other teeth
- Previously crowded baby teeth
- Premature loss of a baby tooth near that space
- A family history of impacted teeth
How We Can Help!
Fortunately, there are ways to address impacted canines and bring them back down into alignment with their neighbors. In the best-case scenario, an early orthodontic screening well before the eruption window can help you plan ahead. Depending on your child’s age and the development of their impacted cuspid, we can choose to uncover the tooth, allowing it to erupt normally, or affix an orthodontic appliance to it and guide it into place.
Granite Bay Impacted Canine Treatments
Our experienced Granite Bay orthodontist has worked with numerous cases involving impacted canines over the years. We encourage you to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more about how we can help!
