Can braces be used to bring impacted upper canine into its position?

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Regarding the impacted left upper canine, I have looked at your CBCT and OPG (attachment removed to protect patient identity). A vital piece of information. The age of the patient is not available. However, according to the present data, the upper left canine is not completely formed and also has a bend in the root. It is also placed at a much deeper and more difficult location. It can be brought down into the arch with surgical exposure and braces. However, there are certain risks with such teeth. Sometimes the tooth is joint with bone compounded by the bend in the bone and so does not respond to the pressure. In such a case, it will have to be extracted. This happens in extremely less number of cases. So it is a risk worth taking for the canine tooth since it is a very important tooth. Younger the patient, better chances.

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There is no way to know if it might be ankylosed or joint to bone. Usually the chances of ankylosis are higher if there is a bend (dilaceration). This is a decision you have to make knowing the pros and cons as I mentioned. Pro is that the canine is very important tooth especially in this young age. Ankylosis is not very common. Cons are cost of surgery, difficult to bring down the tooth due to bend. If tooth is ankylosed, it will have to be extracted and treatment plan will change. Root not being completely formed is a benefit rather than disadvantage.

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Yes, absolutely.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

There are certain complications like risk of cyst formation or formation or infection that can happen leaving the upper left canine as it is. There is nothing wrong in pulling a tooth down. It just might be difficult or may not happen due to possible ankylosis. Hence I advised that it is better to try and bring it down using braces and surgical exposure.