Orthodontics Blog - Dr. Albert Fontaine

It Doesn’t Take A Miracle To Move Impacted Teeth Without Extraction

SPRING HILL AND DUNEDIN, FLORIDA-Do you have an impacted tooth? Did your dentist immediately suggest extracting the tooth and considering dental implants? Clearwater orthodontist Dr. Albert Fontaine suggests another solution for you.

“If you are told to have an impacted tooth removed-other than wisdom teeth, get a second opinion,” says Dr. Fontaine as a spring hill orthodontics pro. “It could save you a lot of time and money.”

Impacted wisdom teeth should be evaluated for removal, but other impacted teeth should be examined and in many cases can be moved without being extracted.

Dr. Fontaine gives you three reasons why you should consider naturally moving impacted teeth before dental implants as a means of orthodontic treatment.

1. It saves money.

“Normally, the cost of a basic implant would range from $1,200 to $3,000,” according to Dr. Sumaiya Khan’s “Dental Implants Average Cost” article. “However, depending on various other procedures involved, the price can shoot up to $30,000! The different factors responsible for the rise in spending include the cost of the material, dentist’s charges and laboratory charges.”

Most of us don’t have $1,000 or $3,000 to spare, especially in addition to the cost of braces or other orthodontic treatment. Dr. Fontaine has moved hundreds of impacted teeth to their proper place without extracting the tooth, saving clients thousands of dollars.

“The moving of the tooth is typically incorporated in the orthodontic plan and budget; dental implants are not and the expense can shock many families and patients,” says Dr. Fontaine, a provider of underbite correction services.

2. It saves time.

“Remember that implants cannot typically be placed until growth has ceased. This can result in a teenager going through their high school years missing a tooth,” says Dr. Fontaine Spring Hill clear braces provider. “I can use metal braces to reposition the impacted natural tooth into it’s place now so there isn’t the psychological impact of going without a tooth until you’re an adult.”

Orthodontists like Dr. Fontaine incorporate moving and erupting impacted teeth into the orthodontic treatment plan. Your impacted tooth can erupt and move to the arch while your other teeth align and create space for the tooth.

3. It works, even in severe cases.

Dr. Fontaine has been an orthodontist for more than 20 years, and during that time he has encountered an array of impacted teeth.

“I have seen lower cuspids erupting through the chin and upper cuspids in the nose,” says Dr. Fontaine. “They have been upside-down and rotated 180 degrees. There have been double impactions that were crisscrossed on the palate and others layered on top of one another. Multiple impactions of four or more teeth may indicate systemic disorders.”

Dr. Fontaine successfully and naturally moved impacted teeth to their proper place, even in the severe cases. Sometimes Dr. Fontaine may have no other option but to request his patient arrange for tooth extraction and dental implants. Despite those cases, he ensures his clients that he only prescribes extraction if natural movement fails to move the impacted tooth.

“We have had surgeons tell us they didn’t think we would be able to erupt the impaction but we have done it,” says Dr. Fontaine, “Unfortunately, the opposite can happen. I have seen fairly simple cases not erupt but this is typically due to ankylosis. An ankylosed tooth becomes fused to the bone and has a poor prognosis for eruption.”

Dr. Fontaine wants you to help you along the path to a healthy, beautiful smile as simply and naturally as possible. If your dentist or orthodontist suggests extracting the teeth from the get-go, you should seek a second opinion to ensure that is the best option for you.

Dental implants are not a bad or unhealthy option, Dr. Fontaine simply recommends preserving the natural tooth for as long it’s healthy.
