Exposures
Impacted teeth
An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to emerge above the gum line. This most commonly occurs to canine teeth, especially upper canines. As the canines are usually the last permanent teeth to erupt in the mouth, if there is not enough room for them they may become impacted. Impacted teeth are usually discovered through examination of a dentist and radiographs. Impacted teeth can also occur for wisdom teeth, and this will necessitate a wisdom tooth removal.
Exposure surgery
To assist the impacted tooth, you may undergo exposure surgery. This involves removing both the gum tissue and any bone covering the tooth so it is exposed. After the gum has been lifted, orthodontic equipment will be attached to the tooth and surrounding teeth so that it can be gently guided into its required position. This procedure can be performed either with general or local anaesthetic. The entire treatment process can occur for around 2 weeks. Directly following the surgery, you will experience some pain. You can consult with your surgeon about how best to deal with this discomfort.
