What is a tooth exposure?

Entering high school, making new friends, beginning to date - these are just some of the many changes and challenges of becoming a teenager. For many teens, the rites of passage also includes orthodontic treatment to straighten an impacted adult tooth. The most commonly affected tooth is the cuspid or "eye tooth." Since the cuspid is in the front of the mouth, it is extremely important for appearance and chewing. If baby teeth do not come out on time, it is not uncommon for a teenager's permanent teeth to become imbedded beneath the gum tissue without sufficient space to come in on their own. If a tooth isn't uncovered (exposed), it can become impacted and could eventually have to be extracted. Most teens find that a tooth exposure is less traumatic than a pop quiz! If the cuspid is on the outside toward the lip, a surgeon makes a small incision in the gum and raises it as you would a window shade to reveal the tooth. Then a bracket is placed on the tooth to bring it to the level of ...  more