Impacted Canines
Expose Impacted Teeth to Ensure Proper Function
There are four canine teeth in the mouth—two on either side of the four upper and bottom front teeth. These long, sharp teeth are important for biting and tearing food, and they have thick roots firmly connected to the jaw. If a canine tooth becomes impacted, or stuck beneath the gums, surgical intervention is necessary to expose the tooth and guide it into its place in the dental arch.
At Beacon Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, we treat impacted canine teeth at each of our offices in Gresham, The Dalles, Milwaukie, OR, and Camas, WA. If you have an impacted canine tooth, or have been told that your child has an impacted canine tooth, we encourage you to contact one of our offices to schedule an appointment.
What Causes a Canine Tooth Impaction?
Several factors can cause a tooth to become impacted. If there are extra teeth, a canine tooth may be unable to naturally erupt because it is blocked by another tooth. Poor alignment of the front teeth can lead to overcrowding, which leaves the canine tooth with inadequate space. In some cases, an oral growth or abnormality on the gums can block the tooth.
It is important to attend regular dental checkups with your dentist. At these visits, your dentist takes X-rays and performs exams to detect the presence of any oral health issue, such as an impacted canine. Once detected, your dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon for treatment. The earlier an impacted canine tooth is treated, the better the impact on bite, smile, and overall health.
Why Treat an Impacted Tooth?
Leaving an impacted tooth untreated severely threatens overall oral health. If an impacted canine tooth is left untreated, it can push adjacent teeth out of position or cause damage to the point of tooth loss. Cysts or tumors may grow around the impacted tooth, which must be surgically removed. Without the canines to absorb bite impact, other teeth can become damaged as they have to make up for the improperly functioning canines.
Wisdom teeth can also become impacted. These molars are not necessary for proper oral function and dental professionals recommend simply having them extracted. Canine teeth, however, play a critical role in the ability to properly eat and speak, and every effort is made to save these natural teeth. If the canine tooth is unable to properly erupt, we may recommend extraction and replacing the tooth with a dental implant.
Expose and Bond Treatment for an Impacted Canine Tooth
Prior to determining the right course of action, you will meet with one of our oral surgeons at a consultation appointment. We will take 3D scans of your teeth to determine the exact size and location of the canine teeth. As oral surgeons, we offer many anesthesia and sedation options for your comfort during any type of procedure, and we will help you select the right option to ensure your comfort.
An expose and bond procedure involves an oral surgeon exposing the impacted tooth and attaching a bracket to it. Your orthodontist will use braces to help slowly guide the tooth into its proper place. This treatment involves the coordination of your oral surgeon, orthodontist, and dentist to ensure the tooth achieves full functionality and aligns with your other teeth. This procedure takes about one hour to complete, although the full duration of treatment can take several months to a year for the tooth to fully erupt.
In some cases, your oral surgeon may only expose the tooth and allow it to erupt on its own. When a path is made, some canine teeth are able to follow the path into normal eruption. Most cases, however, will require the use of both oral surgery and orthodontics.
Types of Anesthesia
We offer several options for anesthesia to make your experience as comfortable as possible.
Patient Testimonials
Hear from our patients about their experiences with Impacted Canines and other procedures.
"Hi, my name is Carolyn. I’m from Lake Oswego, Oregon. [I] brought my 17-year-old son in to have his wisdom teeth removed with Dr. Lieblick. I would say one of the things that I noticed that stood out to me the most was the energy level. Coming in—great energy, felt very comfortable. The staff was really friendly. They were very welcoming. Dr. Lieblick has a very relaxed mannerism about him. He was very thorough in explaining everything that was going to happen. We left the patient consult feeling very comfortable and much more at ease than we did walking in the front door. For my friends and family in Milwaukie and in The Dalles, I highly recommend Beacon Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons."
"Hi, my name is Claudia and I’m from Fairview. I came to see Dr. Lieblick to get my wisdom teeth removed. Dr. Lieblick was very knowledgeable. He explained everything to me very well. I felt like I understood what was going to happen in the procedure, and he was very comforting as well. The staff here is really friendly. They make you feel really comfortable. From beginning to end, everyone was really nice—[a] calm setting. It was great. Overall my experience was really positive at Beacon. I highly recommend Beacon Oral Surgeons. "
"Hi, my name is Alex, and this is Connor, and we’re from Vancouver, WA, and we came to see Dr. Rehrer for Connor’s cyst removal. The office is very nice and clean. The staff is very warm and welcoming. Dr. Rehrer is very smart, which is important. Kind, patient. The procedure was actually pretty quick and easy. It went really well. Dr. Rehrer even personally called me himself after the procedure just to make sure Connor was doing great. We had a great experience, and we highly recommend Beacon Oral Surgeons."
"Hi, I’m Michael from Vancouver, WA, and I came to see Dr. Lieblick for a dental prep. The office staff is very accommodating. They are very helpful in keeping you relaxed. Dr. Lieblick is very unobtrusive. He comes in and he fits in with what you’re doing. He could very well be my best friend. The procedure did go well. It was done before I knew it was done, and when he stood up and said he was done I was shocked. For my friends and family in Vancouver and Camas, Washington, I highly recommend Beacon Oral Surgeons. Definitely five-star quality."
"Hi, my name is Liz, and I live in Vancouver. I came to see Dr. Lieblick for a dental implant. The staff here is very welcoming. From the moment you walk in, they greet you, they make you feel like you’re at home. Dr. Lieblick was great. I came in, the procedure was over before I even knew it started. Dr. Lieblick was very professional and friendly, he put my nerves at ease. The videos that were sent via text messages were very helpful. I knew what to do that evening, the evening before. I felt like I was in safe hands, and they sent me [a] beautiful bouquet of flowers. Out of five stars, I gave Dr. Lieblick five stars!"
"Hi, My name is Mo. I’m from Vancouver, Washington. I came to see Dr. Rehrer for a dental implant and a biopsy. I loved coming to this office. Just the physical appearance, the bright colors—it’s just a lovely place to come to. The staff here is exceptional. Every single one of them are personable, welcoming, [and] knowledgeable, because I always have a lot of questions about anything I’m going to do. Dr. Rehrer is a great oral surgeon. He is very personable and [will] answer all your questions and make you feel totally comfortable. The overall experience was very positive, and very successful. For all my friends and family in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, I would highly recommend Beacon Oral Surgeons."
"Hi! My name is Rita, and I came from Long View, Washington to see Dr. Leiblick about an implant. Dr. Leiblick is so empathetic. He just cares about you. Not just as a patient, but as a person, and he’s very calming. The staff was amazing! They just make you feel so comfortable and they’re just so friendly. I was very comfortable throughout the whole procedure. My implants feel great. I had a great experience and I highly recommend Dr. Leiblick."
"Hi, my name is Sue, and I live in Ridgefield, Washington, and I came to see Dr. Rehrer for an extraction and a dental implant. I would describe the office as extremely friendly. The staff is very calming. Dr. Rehrer is very thorough and detailed. He fully explains my treatment plan, and answered all of my questions. The procedure went very well. My crown is on and everything is perfect. My experience here was very positive. I would definitely recommend Dr. Rehrer to anybody needing any kind of procedure done. Out of five stars, I give Dr. Rehrer a five."
"Hi, my name is Willy, and I came to see Dr. Rehrer to get my wisdom teeth removed. The staff here is very friendly, very knowledgeable, and they treat you like they've known you for a long time. They go over everything very precisely and answer all your questions. Dr. Rehrer's a very great guy, was very nice, and he explained everything, so it was easy for me to understand. The whole procedure was very simple and quick. Overall, I had a great experience and I highly recommend Beacon Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons."
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