Pediatric Orthodontic Treatment for Impacted Canines Is Needed to Guide Proper Eruption.

Pediatric orthodontic treatment for impacted canines is needed to guide proper eruption.

Hello,

I’m Lee Juri, the chief director of Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic.

Located between the front teeth and molars,

at the center of the teeth,

the tooth that performs one of the most important functions

is the "canine."

It is sometimes joked about as Dracula’s teeth

in movies and dramas,

but it is truly important.

In pediatric orthodontics,

this canine often becomes impacted.

Today, I’ll explain why it does not erupt,

and why orthodontic treatment is needed.

<Table of Contents>

The Tooth That Is Most Important in the Human Body: the 'Canine'
2. The Causes of Impacted Canines in Children Are These.
3. Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Necessary?

The Tooth That Is Most Important in the Human Body: the 'Canine'

Among teeth, the canine has a special position.

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It determines the line visible when smiling,

so it also plays an aesthetic role,

and it is the canine that is mainly used to tear tough meat.

It is also the tooth that helps keep the bite balanced

so that the temporomandibular joint can move without strain.

(It is the ideal bite when guided by the canines ^^)

Because it has the longest root among the teeth,

it is also a tooth that tends to survive for a long time.

Why Do Impacted Canines Occur in Children?

When a canine cannot emerge in the correct position

and remains buried in the jawbone, it is called an impacted canine.

250801 Impacted canine that has not erupted

There are various causes, such as lack of space,

a baby tooth not falling out on time,

or genetic factors.

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The biggest cause is lack of space.

Today’s children often

are born with narrower jaws,

so there are many cases where

there is not enough space for teeth to erupt.

Upper canines usually erupt in the upper elementary grades

(around age 11 to 12),

and lower canines in the lower elementary grades

(around age 9 to 10).

If the upper canine still has not erupted

after age 12,

a detailed examination is needed.

With one X-ray image, we can check whether it is better to wait a little longer

or whether orthodontic treatment is needed.

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Normally, the canine is a deciduous canine,

and it is normal for it to be located below the root of the baby canine,

but being located below the front teeth (lateral incisor)

is one of the characteristics of an impacted canine.

If you watch and wait for too long,

the impacted canine may resorb the root of the adjacent tooth,

so the golden time for treatment is around the middle school years.

What Happens If You Leave It Alone?

An impacted canine is not simply a problem of one tooth not erupting.

The alignment of the front teeth becomes distorted.

The impacted canine presses on the root of the adjacent tooth

and can even resorb the root of an important permanent tooth.

The facial impression may also change

because the canine is not visible when smiling.

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In particular, root resorption of the adjacent tooth is difficult to reverse,

so orthodontic force must be used to guide the impacted canine into eruption.

At this time, a minor surgical procedure may be needed after anesthesia.

An appliance is attached to the impacted canine,

and orthodontic force is used

to help it erupt.

During adolescence, the bone is softer,

so it is more effective.

As adults, the bone becomes harder, making orthodontic treatment + surgery more difficult!!

A view of exposing the canine with a minor surgical procedure and then pulling it into place with orthodontic treatment

Between the front teeth and molars,

the most important tooth is the canine.

If our child’s deciduous canine

has fallen out but is not erupting,

or if it is impacted toward the lateral incisor on the X-ray,

it is time for pediatric orthodontic treatment so it can do its job.

If it still has not erupted by the time the child is in middle school, do not wait any longer and get it checked.

It is difficult to know what is happening inside the bone unless you look.

I hope you receive an early diagnosis of whether it is impacted.

This has been Lee Juri.

Thank you!

Pediatric Orthodontic Treatment for Impacted Canines Is Needed to Guide Proper Eruption.

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