Impacted Teeth Orthodontics

Is extraction the only fate for impacted teeth?

The most commonly impacted teeth are third molars — wisdom teeth.
(a) If other teeth are healthy and the impacted wisdom teeth compromise hygiene or health, extraction is often recommended.
(b) If other teeth are in poor condition, wisdom teeth might be considered as substitutes — but this depends on specific conditions and must be carefully evaluated by a dental professional.

But... it's not just wisdom teeth that can be impacted! Other teeth like incisors, canines, or premolars can also fail to erupt properly. Whether to extract or orthodontically guide them into place requires full-mouth evaluation and a well-thought-out treatment plan from a specialist.

In this case,the patient had bilaterally impacted mandibular second molars that were lying horizontally.They weren't functional for chewing and were difficult to clean. Extracting them might seem like the easy way out, but doing so could cause:

1. The maxillary second molars to over-erupt due to lack of opposing teeth, disrupting the bite and food flow.
2. The undeveloped wisdom teeth to tilt forward and become horizontally impacted as well, making future orthodontic treatment even more complex.

With all that in mind, we decided to upright both horizontally impacted second molars! This was no easy task — unlike front teeth with narrow single roots, molars have thick, multi-rooted structures that are slow to move through the jawbone. It was a long journey, but with the patient's amazing cooperation, we not only saved the molars but also corrected a bite discrepancy caused by a mismatch in arch width (narrow upper vs. wide lower jaw). The result? A healthy, beautiful, and functional smile.