At All Smile Dental in Turlock and Modesto, California, Dr. Singh routinely treats impacted teeth in children and adults. During your consultation, Dr. Singh will discuss all of the treatment options with you and help you decide on the best treatment plan. The sooner you become aware of an impacted tooth, the more treatment options you will have.
What Is an Impacted Tooth?
An impacted tooth is a tooth that gets stuck or blocked under the gum line and does not erupt into its correct position on its own. Most frequently, the impacted tooth is a third molar or a wisdom tooth, although it can also commonly be a canine tooth.
Canine teeth are located at the corners of the dental arch, next to the incisors. Thanks to their long roots, they are robust and stable teeth. Canines are usually the last teeth to emerge and typically do so when you are 12 or 13 years old.
What to Expect From Canine Exposure Surgery?
The process of exposing an impacted canine tooth involves a straightforward surgical procedure and enables the correct eruption of the impacted tooth. Dr. Singh will surgically expose the tooth by making a small flap in the adjoining gum.
Once the tooth is exposed, it will either emerge on its own or have to be secured using an orthodontic bracket.
With timely diagnosis and combining orthodontic and surgical procedures, impacted canine teeth can erupt and be directed into their ideal position.
Post-Operative Care
After surgery, a small amount of bleeding from the surgical area can be expected. Although there will be some discomfort after the procedure, most patients can manage it with painkillers. There may also be some swelling and tenderness that can be minimized by applying ice packs to the lip.
At first, a soft food diet is recommended, but you may resume eating normal food once you start to feel comfortable chewing. However, it is advised that you avoid crunchy foods like chips and crackers during the initial healing period, as they may irritate the surgical site.
We will see you a few days after surgery to assess the healing process and make sure you are following good oral hygiene practices.
To learn more about how a canine exposure procedure can help you, contact All Smile Dental at 1647 Countryside Dr, Turlock, CA 95380 and 1100 Carver Rd. #5, Modesto, CA 95350. Please call our Dentist in Turlock, CA at (209) 668-3736 or Dentist in Modesto, CA at (209) 409-8839.
