Orthodontic Canine Exposure

Canine exposure has nothing to do with leaving your dog outside, exposed to elements. In humans, canine teeth are primarily used for biting and tearing up food. Any tooth may become impacted, but generally, the wisdom teeth and canine teeth are the predominant candidates. At the dental practice of Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS, if it is necessary to remove a tooth by any means, plans will be made and the patient will be provided with personalized, gentle care.

Impacted teeth are sometimes obvious to the naked eye, but in some cases, an x-ray is necessary to identify the extent of the impaction. The older the patient, the more likely an impacted canine will not emerge by nature’s forces alone. It is important to determine whether all the adult teeth are present or are some adult teeth missing. Many times, there is an impacted canine tooth where the baby tooth remains in the mouth. Canine teeth are critical for function and early recognition of an impacted canine tooth is the key to a successful treatment.

If you have questions or concerns regarding orthodontic treatment, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.smilesbyross.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS call our Forest Lake, MN location at 651-464-6988 or our Hudson, WI location at 715-808-8379.

Impacted Canines

One of the most common problems Dr. Gregory Ross treats in his Forest Lake and Hudson offices is impacted canines. The canines (also called cuspids or eye-teeth) of the upper jaw have a tendency to get stuck and advanced orthodontic work is needed to guide them into place.

The canines occupy the part of the jaw arch with the greatest change in rate of curvature. As such, they are important for stabilizing the other teeth, in addition to their function piercing food. As children undergo x-rays at their bi-annual check-ups, one of the things their dentists will look for is whether the canines will have room to erupt fully.

If a canine does not have enough surface area for a bracket to be attached to, more may need to be exposed by cutting away gum tissue. Once a bracket is attached, it may be connected to the other brackets with a loop-shaped wire called a ballista spring or with a short chain. This is so that pressure can be exerted on the canine without disproportionately affecting the other teeth. While there are many orthodontic procedures that benefit adults, only children have maxillary bones that are soft enough to be adaptable to guided canine eruption.

To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit SmilesbyRoss.com. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.

 

Why Malocclusions are Common

So many people have undergone orthodontic treatment that it’s reasonable to wonder why everybody seems to need it. While some orthodontic work is cosmetic, most people have such bad malocclusions that their ability to clean their teeth and their long-term health would be jeopardized without significant correction. But rather than being an accident of nature, this is a trade-off of civilization.

Anthropologists have found that people who live traditional lifestyles and ancient people had much better dental health and rarely had badly misaligned teeth. However, as people adopted agriculture, the size of their jaws shrank, while their teeth remained the same size. Scientists found that this pattern held throughout the world. It seems that children who grow up eating soft cereal products, such as bread and rice, never develop the large jaws necessary to hold all thirty-two adult-sized teeth. The stress of chewing tough root vegetables and large strips of meat is necessary to build up bone, as well as muscle mass. As a result, modern people need not only often need orthodontic correction, but wisdom tooth removal and sleep apnea treatments, as well.

To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit SmilesbyRoss.com. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.