Impacted canines
Canines are your corner teeth. They help give you a balanced and symmetrical smile and there are two in each of your jaws.
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Canines can become impacted. This means, instead of growing in your mouth, they stay buried in the jawbone beneath your gum.
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They can be commonly treated using a combination of fixed braces and surgery, or they may not need treatment at all.
How do I know if I have impacted canines?
No one knows why canine teeth become impacted. But up to 3% of the population will experience an impacted canine. And 85% of these cases occur under the gum in the roof of the mouth1. Some people have no symptoms and others have painful symptoms such as:
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Swollen or bleeding gums
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A bad taste in your mouth
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Bad breath
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Pain when chewing
Impacted teeth can damage the roots of the teeth next to them. There’s also a possibility that cysts will develop near them and these can become infected.
If you think you may have an impacted tooth, it’s important to get it checked by an orthodontist so they can advise you on whether you need it treated.
How are impacted canines treated?
There are several options for treating impacted canines, which will depend on:
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Where your canine tooth is buried
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Whether you want to wear a fixed brace
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Your age
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The space available for the canine tooth
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How long treatment might take
The four treatment options available
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No treatment
If the impacted canine isn’t causing you any problems, then your clinician may suggest leaving it. They may X-ray it occasionally, just to ensure it isn’t causing problems.
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Treatment may be necessary later on if any oral health problems start to develop, or if you begin to have painful symptoms.
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An operation to remove the buried tooth completely
This option may be suitable if:
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You don’t want to wear a fixed brace
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The rest of your teeth are straight with no gaps
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The buried tooth is in a poor position
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The buried tooth is causing issues
You may require further dental or orthodontic treatment in the future if this leaves you with a baby canine tooth or a gap.
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An operation to uncover the buried tooth
Uncovering the buried tooth involves removing a small ‘window’ of gum and bone to help it grow into your mouth.
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In some cases, a gold chain or brace attachment gets attached to the tooth during the operation, or later on in the treatment. You’ll then need to have fixed braces to shift the canine into the correct position. You may also need to have teeth removed to make space for the canine.
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An operation to ‘transplant’ the buried tooth to its proper position
This is a rare treatment option, as it has a lower success rate than the other options, and there needs to be enough space between the teeth. If your orthodontist feels this is a suitable treatment option for you, they’ll explain what’s involved in more detail.