A discrepancy between the size of the teeth and the size of the jaw is the most common reason for impaction. When there are too many teeth in one area of the mouth or the area available for all teeth waiting to erupt is insufficient, a new tooth is unable to erupt into its proper position.

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An impacted tooth is easily diagnosable with an x-ray or 3D imaging. It is usually discovered at a dental visit and your dentist will often refer you to an oral surgeon for further evaluation and treatment. 

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Impacted teeth may or may not have noticeable symptoms, but left untreated, they can cause many problems, including pain, infection, and tooth damage. 

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Impacted teeth require a surgical incision, pushing gum tissue away from an area, and often removal of bone in order to fully access the teeth.  Often, but not always, such teeth need to be cut into smaller pieces for removal.  Sutures, or stitches, may or may not be needed when impacted teeth are removed.

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Exposure and bonding is a specific treatment that is coordinated between an oral surgeon and orthodontist. In these cases, an orthodontist will create a space for the impacted tooth to come in by preparing the mouth with braces. Once the space is ready, the oral surgeon will expose the tooth and bond an orthodontic bracket to it. The orthodontic bracket will have a small chain attached that the orthodontist will use to guide the tooth into place. Additional details will be discussed with each patient based on their specific situation at the time of the consultation.

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You will receive preoperative and postoperative instructions so that you know how to prepare and what to expect.