Will my impacted canine tooth still come down? (photo)

Question

Eventually I got oral surgery for my canines & the result of the surgery was successful. The right side canine came down but 2 years later the left side STILL won’t come down. I’m trying to think logically here; if the canine is aligned correctly, why can’t it be pulled straight down? The orthodontist didnt say I have any dental conditions either, so I should be fine.? I need some insight because I refuse to get oral surgery again if it’s still possible for my canine to naturally come down.

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD · Answer

Simple answer: no. If you were 12, maybe. But adult teeth require an orthodontic treatment, usually brackets, wires, and elastics

John McDonald, DMD · Answer

Sometimes impacted teeth do not come down as expected.  If yours has not moved in several years, it will need to be re exposed by the oral surgeon.  Your orthodontist should have a plan on why he thinks this one is not moving and be in discussion with the oral surgeon about what they are going to do different the next time they expose the tooth.  If you do not feel confident that your orthodontist is taking this seriously enough you do have an option.The worlds leading expert on impacted canines is Dr Adrian Becker, an orthodontist in Israel.  He will evaluate your case and give you a written report on the best way to address your situation.  This service is available to both patients and orthodontists.  I believe the fee is under $150.  I have sought out his advice on 2 different cases myself and any good orthodontist should not be opposed to getting a 2nd opinion from someone of his experience.  His website is dr-adrianbecker.com and look for clinical consultation.   You will need to get copies of your x-rays and a 3-D x-ray for the consult from Dr Becker.  Your orthodontist probably already has these and should provide you copies.   Impacted canines are usually routine but some can be tricky and it looks like yours is a tricky one. It is really critical that you do everything you can to try and get this tooth to come in.  If it does not come in, you will have a space and need to get an implant or a bridge.  Both of those options are more expensive ($5-6000) and more work than another surgery to bring the canine down so another surgery is well worth the effort.

Dipesh Sitaram, MICCMO, FICCMO, DDS · Answer

If the tooth is ankylosed, then no matter the angle that the orthodontist pulls the tooth it will not come down.  In that type of situation, the oral surgeon will typically end up removing the tooth.

Will my impacted canine tooth still come down? (photo)

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Will my impacted canine tooth still come down? (photo)

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