Surgical Orthodontics
As Specialists in Oral and Facial Surgery, we Partner with Orthodontists to Create Beautifully Healthy Smiles
It should come as no surprise that as teeth develop in young children’s mouths, a list of issues can develop, including orthodontic problems. From space problems to supernumerary teeth and impacted canines, dental abnormalities can cause pain and aesthetic issues that require a combination of orthodontics and oral surgery.
At Reynolds Oral and Facial Surgery, we work in partnership with premier orthodontists all over Northern Colorado to create a smile that is pain-free, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing.
Two of the most common orthodontic surgical procedures include orthodontic anchorage and impacted canine exposure.
About Orthodontic Anchorage
Dental implants can often be used to move the teeth quicker, and in ways that traditional orthodontics have found difficult or impossible. Temporary implants are placed for orthodontic purposes to ensure long-lasting effects on the shape and look of your smile.
The implants consist of tiny titanium screws that can be placed with local anesthesia. Of course, if the patient wants to be asleep for the procedure we can accommodate their request, but it is a relatively easy procedure. There are a few different versions of temporary dental implants for orthodontics available, enabling us to provide the orthodontist with the type of device necessary to ensure beautiful results.
Courtesy of www.imtec.com
About Impacted Canine Exposure
An impacted tooth simply means that it is “stuck” and cannot erupt into function. Patients frequently develop problems with impacted third molar (wisdom) teeth. These teeth get “stuck” in the back of the jaw and can develop painful infections, among a host of other problems (see Wisdom Teeth under Procedures). Since there is rarely a functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted if they develop problems. The maxillary cuspid (upper eyetooth) is the second most common tooth to become impacted. The cuspid tooth is a critical tooth in the dental arch and plays an important role in your “bite”. When impacted, it is imperative to correct the issue by exposing and bracketing it.
The surgery to expose and bracket an impacted tooth is a very straightforward surgical procedure, performed in the oral surgeon’s office. For most patients, laughing gas and local anesthesia are used. In select cases, it is performed under IV sedation if the patient desires, but this is generally not necessary for this procedure. These issues will be discussed in detail at your preoperative consultation with your doctor. (You can also refer to Preoperative Instructions under Surgical Instructions on this website for a review of any details).
Call Reynolds Oral & Facial Surgery at 970-663-6878 if you have any questions.
If you would like to learn more about impacted canines and the procedure used to expose and bracket them, you can read more here.
About Fiberotomy
What is a fiberotomy? It is an orthodontic surgical procedure designed and implemented to reduce the tendency of relapse of tooth rotations corrected by braces or other treatments. Your teeth are connected to the gums by gingival fibers that act as elastic bands to position the teeth in your gums. After the old fibers are released, new fibers will grow with the new positioning of the teeth to ensure that the new teeth and gums are aligned properly.
After a patient has had their teeth orthodontically altered, Dr. Reynolds may need to perform a fiberotomy to release existing fibers from the newly adjusted teeth. The procedure ensures a long-lasting result with little discomfort or downtime.
We work directly with your orthodontist to ensure the absolute best results. Contact the Reynolds Oral and Facial Surgery team with any questions or concerns you may have.