Exposure of impacted teeth
A tooth that has not come through can usually be brought through. It is a joint job with your orthodontist, and the surgery is only one half of it.
What the procedure is
Surgical exposure of impacted canines and other teeth that have not erupted on their own, so orthodontic treatment can bring them into position.
The tooth is uncovered and a bracket or chain is attached, which your orthodontist then uses to guide it into the arch over the following months.
The technique is minimally invasive, preserving the surrounding tissue and bone — what is left around the tooth is what it will sit in once it arrives.
Who it is for
Most often teenagers whose canines have not come through, found on an orthodontic X-ray before there is anything to see in the mouth.
Adults with an impacted tooth that is causing a problem, or that is needed for a planned orthodontic result.
It is always coordinated: the exposure is planned around what your orthodontist intends to do next, not booked in isolation.
Recovery
Expect soreness and swelling at the site and a period on softer food. The bracket or chain will feel unfamiliar for a while.
You will be given aftercare on the day, including how to clean around the site without disturbing the attachment.
Cost and insurance
Cost depends on the position of the tooth and how much access is needed to reach it. You will have the figure before anything is booked.
Exposure is often covered as part of orthodontic treatment; our insurance coordinator works through what your plan allows.
The surgery uncovers the tooth and gives the orthodontist something to pull on. The rest is their work, over months.
Questions we are asked
Open any of them. If yours is not here, the front desk will answer it on the phone.
01Why can't the tooth just come through on its own?
An impacted tooth is blocked — by position, by crowding, or by the bone and tissue over it. Exposing it and attaching a chain gives the orthodontist something to work with.
02Who does what, between you and the orthodontist?
We uncover the tooth and place the bracket or chain. Your orthodontist does the moving. The plan is agreed between us before the surgery so both halves fit together.
03How long until the tooth is in place?
That is orthodontic time rather than surgical time, and it depends on how far the tooth has to travel. Your orthodontist will give you the timeline.
04Is it done under general anaesthetic?
It is normally done under local anaesthetic. What is right for a particular patient, especially a younger one, is discussed at the consultation.
Not sure this is what you need?
Most people are not, on the first call. Book a comprehensive evaluation and we will tell you what we find, and what it would take to put right.