Tooth Exposures & Buttoning

Tooth exposure and buttoning involves surgically exposing an unerupted or impacted tooth in order to guide it into the proper position in the jaw.

Tooth Exposures & Buttoning

An impacted tooth is one that it is “stuck” and cannot erupt into function.

Patients frequently develop problems with impacted third molar (wisdom) teeth. These teeth get “stuck” in the back of the jaw and can develop painful infections among a host of other problems (see Wisdom Teeth).

Since there is rarely a functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted if they develop problems.

The upper canine tooth is the second most common tooth to become impacted. The canine is a critical tooth in the dental arch and plays an important role in your bite and appearance.

The cuspid teeth are very strong biting teeth and have the longest roots. Normally, the maxillary cuspid teeth are the last of the front teeth to erupt into place. They usually come into place around age 13. If a cuspid tooth gets impacted, every effort is made to get it to erupt into its proper position in the dental arch.

The techniques can be applied to any impacted tooth, but most commonly they are applied to the upper canine. Usually the procedure involves exposing the tooth and placing an orthodontic button on it. An orthodontic elastic is then placed on the button which guides the tooth into the arch over a period of several months.

If you have an unerupted tooth, a tooth exposure and buttoning procedure may be right for you. Please contact Richmond Hill Oral Surgery today to book a consultation.

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