Expose & Bond

Treat With Exposure & Bonding

Your canine teeth are vital for maintaining a healthy bite and ensuring proper alignment of your teeth. Serving as the first point of contact when you bite down, they guide the rest of your teeth into their correct positions. However, there are instances where canine teeth may become impacted, failing to properly erupt and fulfill their function in the mouth. Without intervention, impacted canine teeth can lead to challenges in eating, tooth decay, gum disease, and even misalignment of neighboring teeth.

Exposure and bonding is a common treatment for impacted canine teeth. With their extensive expertise, our team of renowned oral surgeons at Madison Oral Surgery & Dental Implants excel in addressing impacted canine teeth. We invite you to reach out to our office in Madison, WI to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled oral surgeons.

What Is an Impacted Tooth?

An impacted tooth occurs when a tooth fails to emerge or erupt from the gum line, remaining trapped within the jawbone. Among canine teeth, which occupy a prominent position in the mouth, they rank as the second most commonly impacted teeth, following wisdom teeth.

Numerous factors contribute to the impaction of canine teeth. These may include obstructions within the dental arch, overcrowding of teeth, or insufficient space in the mouth for natural eruption. Left untreated, impacted teeth can trigger a cascade of issues such as chewing difficulties, decay, gum problems, and even misalignment of adjacent teeth.

Causes of Impacted Canine Teeth

An impacted canine tooth is characterized by the failure of the adult canine tooth to properly emerge, becoming trapped within the jawbone. Various factors contribute to this condition:

• Obstruction by a baby tooth or abnormal growth: Occasionally, a baby tooth may not naturally shed, or an abnormal growth may hinder the eruption of the permanent canine tooth.
• Dental overcrowding: When the dental arch lacks adequate space for all teeth to align correctly, it can lead to the impaction of canine teeth.
• Insufficient room in the dental arch: In certain instances, the size and shape of the dental arch may not provide enough space for the canine teeth to erupt naturally.

Addressing an impacted canine tooth promptly enhances the likelihood of successful eruption and functionality. If left unattended, the tooth becomes more entrenched within the jawbone, rendering exposure and bonding ineffective as a treatment option. Extraction followed by dental implant placement becomes the only viable solution.

Exposure and Bonding Process

The exposure and bonding procedure is a surgical procedure that uncovers an impacted tooth. Initially, an incision is made in the gums to access the tooth, followed by attaching a bracket with a chain. This bracket is then linked to braces to guide the tooth into proper alignment over several months under the supervision of an orthodontist.

Collaboration between oral surgeons and orthodontists is pivotal in treating impacted canine teeth. It is imperative to visit your orthodontist within two weeks of exposure and bracketing to start the alignment process. This coordinated effort between specialists is indispensable for the successful eruption, function, and aesthetic appeal of impacted canines.

The Expose & Bond Procedure and Surgical Orthodontics

The expose and bond procedure offers several benefits in orthodontics. It provides a means to guide impacted teeth into their correct positions, aiding in the overall alignment of the dental arch and improving the patient's bite and aesthetics. By surgically exposing the impacted tooth and bonding an orthodontic bracket to it, orthodontists have better control over the tooth's movement, ensuring more precise and predictable results. This procedure helps prevent further complications associated with impacted teeth, such as damage to adjacent teeth, cyst formation, or gum disease, ultimately contributing to the long-term oral health of the patient.