Impacted Teeth
Kennett Square, PA

Teeth are said to “erupt” into the mouth. But eruption can be delayed or not happen at all if there is something blocking their entry. We refer to this as “being impacted”. The most commonly impacted teeth are upper canines (teeth in the middle of the arch) and any of the four “wisdom teeth” in the back of the mouth that come during the late teen years.

Canines should erupt between the ages of 11-15, depending upon the patient’s gender and skeletal development. Early identification of potential impaction of canines can often improve the eruption potential of these teeth. Orthodontic treatment can open up space for the emerging tooth using various expansion technics.

If identified as impacted later, treatment more often requires specific appliances to help bring the canine into position. In these cases, the orthodontist will work with an oral surgeon who can uncover the impacted tooth so an attachment can be placed under the tissue and then guided into the mouth by the orthodontic treatment.