Impacted Canines
Guide Impacted Teeth to the Dental Arch
If a tooth is blocked or stuck and unable to erupt into the mouth naturally, a procedure called Expose and Bond can guide the tooth into position in the dental arch.
The canines are the pointed teeth on either side of the four upper and lower front teeth. Canines have very long roots, and they are critical to the development of your overall bite. When the adult canines become impacted (trapped beneath the gums), your child may need an oral surgeon to help expose the teeth and bring them into proper position.
Here at Hill & Ioppolo Oral & Dental Implant Surgery of Lubbock, we work with you and your orthodontist to evaluate and treat impacted canines at our office in Lubbock, TX. Contact us today for an appointment with our board-certified oral surgeon, Dr. Ioppolo.
Why do teeth become impacted?
Sometimes, the reason that teeth become impacted is unclear, but usually, one of the following reasons leads to the impaction:
- Lack of space or overcrowding
- Extra teeth in the mouth
- Growth blocking the tooth’s path
- Baby teeth not falling out in time
Types of Anesthesia
Depending on your procedure, you will receive one of the following forms of anesthesia to ensure your comfort.
Treatment and Prevention
Sometimes, these issues can be prevented through regular dental checkups and orthodontic work. Braces alone may be able to clear the growth track for the canines if the issue is caught early enough. But if the canines do not have space to grow in after the roots start developing (around age 11 or 12), surgical treatment may be necessary to help the canines come into position. If the teeth are trapped behind the gums for too long, they may never come into position. If this is the case, your oral surgeon may be able to extract the impacted teeth and replace them with dental implants, which will look and feel just like natural teeth.
Exposure and Bonding Treatment
If clearing the growth track does not help the canines grow in, exposure and bonding may be recommended to treat the impacted canines. The exposure and bonding treatment is a team effort between your orthodontist and your oral surgeon. Usually, your orthodontist will first clear space for the teeth using braces. Then, the patient will go to an oral surgeon for the exposure procedure. Your oral surgeon will move the gums covering the tooth and remove any growths or structures blocking the path of the tooth. The surgeon will then attach a bracket (for braces) and a tiny chain to the canine tooth using a bonding agent. Within a week or two of the procedure, you will return to your orthodontist. The orthodontist will use the bracket along with your existing braces to gently guide the tooth into its proper place.
Treatment for Impacted Canines in Lubbock, TX
If you or your child has impacted canines, Hill & Ioppolo Oral & Dental Implant Surgery of Lubbock can help. Whether you need exposure and bonding or another treatment, our staff can help you evaluate your condition and find the right treatment method for you. Contact our office in Lubbock, TX, for more information.
Patient Testimonials
Hear from our patients about their experiences with Impacted Canines and other procedures.
"I came to see Dr. Ioppolo to have my wisdom teeth removed. The office is very friendly. There's a nice atmosphere going on, and everyone is very helpful. Dr. Ioppolo is wonderful. He has a great manner, he's very kind, and he puts you at ease."
"Everybody at this office is very sweet and very accommodating. They walk you through the whole process before it happens, so you don’t feel like you’re being hit out of left field with something. Dr. Ioppolo is very endearing. He just makes you feel comfortable with what to expect."
"This office is very welcoming. The staff is really friendly. It’s like coming home. When you hire Dr. Ioppolo as your doctor, you’re not only hiring a great doctor, you’re actually going with a friend—a trusted person. I was impressed."
"The first time I met Dr. Ioppolo, I was very impressed and fell in love with him right away. I wanted to be his grandmother forever. Yet, it was a little nerve-racking, and one of the nurses sat there and patted my hands through the whole ordeal, and I think I was as comfortable as I could have been anywhere. The staff is wonderful."
"The staff was great — very friendly, very helpful. Dr. Ioppolo was great, put my mind at ease. The procedure was actually really smooth. We had an appointment within a week of actually coming in the first time, which was fantastic."
"I came to see Dr. Ioppolo because I needed my wisdom teeth removed. Dr. Ioppolo is a great guy. He’s very meticulous in what he does, and so that’s the person you want doing your surgery when you have a surgery done like this. So, you could tell that from the moment we had our initial meeting that he was going to take care of things and make sure things were done right."
"When I came in for my procedure, it probably took longer to just get set up, having the gas and all that. As far as the procedure goes, he came in, and within five seconds, he was gone. It was super fast. I highly recommend Dr. Ioppolo and his staff because they are very wonderful and great people, and they make the process completely painless, and it was a very easy thing."
"I had a wisdom teeth extraction, and Dr. Ioppolo was my doctor, and then we put in an implant. When I first met Dr. Ioppolo, he was very soothing. He was a great guy, first off. He explained front to back what was going to happen."
"This is just a good place to come. Very comfortable setting. All the employees act like they’re your brother or your sister. Very friendly, very accommodating. Dr. Ioppolo is very congenial, very thorough with his work, very professional with his work. He’s very compassionate, and he makes you feel at ease about what’s fixing to happen."
Outstanding Oral Surgery Services Driven By Faith and Expertise
At Hill & Ioppolo Oral & Dental Implant Surgery of Lubbock, we are dedicated to restoring optimal oral health through a variety of oral surgery procedures. Through our work, we serve our God-given purpose of serving our incredible community. When you walk into our practice, you are not just a patient—you’re a welcome member of our family who will leave here with a better and more beautiful smile. We look forward to welcoming you soon.