Exposure and up-righting of impacted teeth
Teeth are made for chewing and phonetics - and for this they need to be in place inside the dental arch. Still, occasionally some teeth fail to erupt from the gums, and these teeth are called "impacted teeth."
In most cases, some treatment will be recommended to move the teeth to their natural place, as impacted teeth have a tendency to develop various diseases and pathologies (such as cysts or tumors) and damage nearby anatomical structures.
The cause of the tooth entrapment is not always known, however in many cases it is the result of crowding in the jaws or some kind of blockage that does not allow the tooth to advance into its place with in the mouth.
Impacted teeth are first seen by an orthodontist who designs a treatment plan that aims at bringing the tooth into place within the dental arch.
In many cases, surgical exposure of the trapped tooth is recommended in order to attach a bracket onto its crown. Using orthodontic braces the orthodontist will gently apply the forces needed to bring the tooth into place.
(Note that in some cases, the tooth can be exposed (without attaching a brace) to allow it to erupt spontaneously beyond the gums.)
The procedure itself can be performed under local anesthesia, but depending on the location of the tooth, the patient's age, the expected complexity of the treatment - we may recommend performing the operation under sedation.
During recovery, swelling is expected in the treatment area and pain that usually responds well to medication.
Failure to bring the tooth into place, detachment of the bracket attached during the surgery and need for re-exposure, as well as damage to the adjacent teeth during orthodontic movement are some of the complications associated with this procedure.
It is important to remember that the younger the patient at the time of treatment - the lower the complication rates.
Lower second molars are a unique group of trapped teeth that are often diagnosed at the end of orthodontic treatment. In selected cases, these teeth can be surgically up-righted into place, thus eliminating the need for prolonged orthodontic treatment.