When a tooth doesn’t erupt fully, this can cause a partial eruption known as an impaction. This could alter the alignment of your smile and even cause problems for orthodontic treatment. But we can help! At your Metairie, LA, oral surgery clinic, our team can conduct a bracketing procedure to correct an impacted tooth and help you on the road to an even and healthy smile.
The Causes and Risks of Impaction
A tooth could become impacted when baby teeth are lost prematurely, and this upsets the arrival of the permanent teeth. If there isn’t enough room in the smile due to misalignment this could cause partial eruption too. The causes may vary, but the result is poor alignment, and this could also hinder your orthodontic treatment too. If left alone, this could provide places for bits of food and drink to become trapped, which increases the risk of tooth decay, gingivitis, and even gum disease. But our team can bracket the impacted tooth into place to improve alignment and oral health!
The Bracketing Process
To begin, our team will take a close look at the smile. Typically, this is recommended for kids and teens. With digital x-rays, we identify the position of the tooth and plan treatment in detail. To ensure the procedure is a comfortable one, we can administer a local anesthetic combined with nitrous oxide, so you enter a state of calm and relaxation, even if you have dental anxiety. Our team may need to extract a tooth to make room to shift the tooth into optimal options. But in many cases, this may not be necessary. We attach a bracket to the tooth in question and another to a nearby tooth. We then connect these orthodontic brackets with a chain. We then connect a band to the orthodontic wire and adjust tension in follow-up visits to gradually and gently shift the tooth into position.
Continuing Care
Following the bracketing procedure, you can continue your orthodontic treatment, shifting the rest of your smile into optimal position and improve both the health and appearance of your smile at the same time. Our team has experience in helping smiles of all ages remain healthy and strong, and we can take on issues like tooth impaction and misalignment. If you have any questions, then contact our team today to learn more. We look forward to helping you and your family members obtain your best smiles.
Talk to Your Metairie, LA Dentist About the Bracketing Process
Our team wants to help improve the alignment and health of your smile by correcting any partial eruptions in your smile. For more information on how we handle partial eruptions and dental misalignment, reach out to our Metairie, LA oral surgery clinic at (504) 455-7161.