Exposure of an impacted tooth consists of removing obstacles (gums, bone), which hinder its adequate eruption. The most commonly impacted tooth at cause is the canine.
The goal of this surgery is to facilitate its eruption surgically, which is commonly followed by orthodontic treatment.
The surgeon will proceed with exposure of the impacted tooth, followed by cementing a button with or without a gold chain attachment in order to allow for orthodontic traction.
In certain cases, a three-dimensional radiograph (3D) is necessary in order to localize the exact position of the impacted tooth in order to better guide the surgical approach.