Smiles by Smith

Orthodontics

Fox Chapel & Cranberry Township, PA

412-963-7760 & 724-776-6090

TREATMENT INFO

Impacted and Missing Teeth

Impacted teeth

Impactions can be caused by improper positioning of the developing tooth bud. This can cause the tooth to fail to erupt into the mouth. Impactions can also be caused by early loss of primary teeth or crowding of teeth. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly impacted teeth, but canines and premolars are also commonly impacted.

This problem should be corrected because it can:

  • cause damage to the root structure of adjacent teeth
  • interfere with the sinus cavity
  • leave unwanted spaces
  • lead to improper functioning of the teeth
  • cause premature wear of the teeth
  • case asymmetric alignment of the teeth

This is what an impacted tooth looks like:


before


after

How can impacted teeth be orthodontically corrected?

Missing teeth is the absence of a tooth or teeth that should normally be present. This can be caused by trauma or lack of development.

Missing teeth

Missing teeth is the absence of a tooth or teeth that should normally be present. This can be caused by trauma or lack of development.

This problem should be corrected because it can:

  • cause improper functioning of teeth
  • cause premature wear of teeth
  • cause asymmetric alignment of the teeth
  • make your smile less attractive

This is what missing teeth look like:


before


after

How can missing teeth be orthodontically corrected?

Depending upon the situation, the space can be closed with braces or opened for tooth replacement. A bridge or dental implant are restorative options if a space is created.