How Long Does It Take to Fix an Impacted Canine

Impacted teeth can affect your life, including how you smile. Leaving such teeth untreated can result in immense pain and discomfort, as well as low self-esteem. Treatment procedures may slightly differ depending on the tooth and the location, but in most cases, you’ll have a surgical correction. The duration of the treatment will depend on how the neighboring teeth have been affected and the treatment option recommended. Your surgeon will start with an x-ray before proposing an ideal solution. Some of the options you’ll have include:

Surgery

Extraction surgery is a commonly used solution if the impacted tooth is causing too much damage to the other teeth. This procedure doesn’t take long, especially in the case of impacted canine teeth. You may be placed on general anesthesia if more than one tooth needs extraction, otherwise, local anesthesia will be sufficient. The procedure will take 40 minutes to one hour, and the recovery may take more than a week. However, you’ll be able to continue with your usual routine a few days after the procedure.

Eruption aids

Eruption aids only work when the impacted tooth is identified early. They help the tooth erupt properly and are often effective for younger people. Commonly used options include braces, extraction of milk teeth that are blocking the canine tooth, and brackets. In some cases, adult teeth that are blocking the canine may be removed and replaced with dental implants. These may take between two to three weeks before the aids are removed. Sometimes your dentist will recommend that you wait and monitor the tooth. Since a professional will have to check the tooth regularly, you’ll be requested to go to the clinic regularly.

It’s always advisable that you contact a professional dentist as soon as you notice an impacted tooth. Ignoring the impacted canine can result in complications that will be more expensive to treat. Some of the complications that can arise from the continuous growth of impacted canine teeth include tooth decay, gum disease, cysts, infections, and crowding or absorption of bones of nearby teeth. Contact us today for professional assessment and treatment.