IMPACTED CANINES CLUB

[winehouseamy]

Hey just wanted to share my story. I found out I had impacted teeth when I was 17 and got my braces on when I was 18. I was able to get lingual braces on top (the braces are placed on the back of my teeth, and regular ones on the bottom). I was pretty upset that my old dentists had never noticed my impacted teeth when getting x-rays and such, if I had known Im sure my mom would have taken care of this way earlier. Once I had my baby teeth pulled I became extremely self conscious of my gaps. The bottom one ended up coming in very fast but the top one left me with a nasty looking gap that was very large, especially since they had to push my teeth one way in order to make room for it. Once I had the surgery and the chain attached I thought things would get better but its been almost 6-7 months (or more) and just now has the tooth sort of peeked through. My gum is very low now and theres just a little white stub (which is my tooth). I haven't talked to my closest friends in almost a year, I couldn't make new friendships at college, I feel like this has completely killed any self confidence I had. I got up the courage to hangout with my friends the other day and while it was nice I spent the whole time thinking about my mouth and not trying to smile etc. I'm 20 now and this whole situation is really putting a strain on my mental health and my friendships. I wont take pictures with anyone, and I don't like to even go out anymore. Im talking to my orthodontists next week about speeding up the process, i know this isn't a fast process usually at least from what I've read, but I've had enough. Are there any other options for me? A fake tooth a flipper? I don't know if these will work for me but I am desperate at this point. Im sick of being sad and lonely.

[SandSnake]

My confidence is at an all time low as well. I try my hardest not to show my teeth when I laugh or talk. It doesn't help that my front teeth have been moving forward and it just looks a mess. Often I just want to say to hell with it and get an implant.

It's been a year since activation and most of it has been spent trying to rotate the tooth, which is only about 90% straight now. Last month my ortho decided to bring the tooth forward with the hope that it will straighten fully as it moves in. But so far it's been painfully slow.

It hurts to think of how much time would have been saved had my tooth not needed to be rotated. But alas, I was not one of the lucky ones.

[leona]

I just read your stories and I feel very sorry for you to have such "bad luck".
However, I know what you are talking about. I had an impacted canine as well.
I was braced in 2008 (I think) and in 2012 (not quite sure) I found out that there was a canine tooth that would not come. So I had my dentist to attach a chain to it and my orthodontist started pulling it. (Un-)Fortunately, the procedure (it takes some time) had to be paused because I decided to spent a year abroad. While being abroad, my tooth came in and the gap was gone. Unfortunately, there is another tooth that doesn't come in - and after attaching some chains to it (it came off quite often) I was told that it's ankylosed.
In my opinion, attaching the chain to the tooth is "no biggie". It takes some time but it's really worth it!! Be patient!

@winehouseamy: I can imagine that it's much harder to "live with it" if you are always worried and thinking about your "troublemaker".... But remember: the gap makes you unique. I am certain that you are a great and strong person. You have gone through a lot! And it's you who got to deal with an impacted tooth because you(!!) can do it! There is a great saying... perhaps you know it... "Don't change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love (->like ;) ) the real you."

I myself had a lot of trouble with teeth and so on (I'm still young (18 years old) but I have already managed to break my jaw as well as my (front) teeth. In addition, I had that impacted tooth and still have the ankylosed one... At first, it seems natural to ask yourself
questions like "why do I have do deal with it?". But later you see that everything happens for a reason.

I hope this will help you. Sorry for my bad English...
Best wishes from Germany!

[millersgirl]

I'm officially reactivated and the 4 month count down begins.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

[UnevenJAG]

Fingers and toes crossed for you millersgirl! Please keep us updated

[millersgirl]

I think it's time to wave the white flag and concede to this tooth.
It's been reactivated for less that four days and all my front teeth are completely shifted over and the tooth right next to where the canine should be is very loose.

My canine is just not going to move. I think I give up.

[ditsy]

Oh no!!! Sad day, but other teeth shifting is not a good sign at all. xx

[millersgirl]

Oh no!!! Sad day, but other teeth shifting is not a good sign at all. xx

has your ortho told you anything about it?

[ditsy]

The only thing they warned me of was they didn't put a bracket on one of my front teeth next to the canine that it's meant to come down because it is very close to the roots and they are worried it will damage it xx

[Siobhan]

The incisor next to my impacted canine shifted like crazy before the canine came through. My teeth all slanted upwards and out. Now the canine is down, my Ortho is realigning everything.

[millersgirl]

The incisor next to my impacted canine shifted like crazy before the canine came through. My teeth all slanted upwards and out. Now the canine is down, my Ortho is realigning everything.

Mine are all shifting away from the spot where the canine needs to be. My front tooth is now centered through my midline instead of being beside it. My teeth look horrible. I don't know how long to keep trying? I have an appointment Wednesday. I really appreciate everyones input from their experiences. It's helpful as this is really starting to cause me some anxiety.

[Kubben]

Hi everybody! Add me to the club!
I have had my braces now for 2 years and 2 months. At the beginning of this they told me only 2 1/2 years, but I'm pretty sure it will be longer then that!
Sophomore year (15 years old) my front left tooth was knocked out in a basketball game. We went to the dentist and they found my impacted upper right canine tooth. We went to the Ortho and they told me about the surgery, I had the expose and bond done in August of junior year (16 years old). The whole process was really not very bad! A little swelling but that's expected, not too much pain and I was back playing volleyball within a week!
Everything was going well until they realized my canine was wedged in between the roots of the two teeth to the left of it. From here they had to move the tooth up into my mouth before they could move it down into place. They told me I was a very very very rare case and that it would take a little longer. Great :/
Well Im 18 now and the trouble maker is finally popping through the gums! Not sure how long it will take from here. So my two questions are, has anyone else had the same case? Also, how long should it take from here? Thanks for the help!

[millersgirl]

Okay. Another update.

Long story short, the device my othro was using to bring my freshly re exposed tooth flipped up instead of pulling down.
So after asking for numbing cream and a blow torch, my ortho got me fitted with a new system. No seriously, he needed a blow torch. Anyway...he said we can try for two more weeks. All my front teeth are very loose. He said on a scale of 1 to 3 I'm at about a 1.5 and apparently when the teeth get to a 3 on the scale of looseness they are, "almost goners."
So we are watching the front teeth as we continue pulling on the chain.
So we begin the two week wait of my last hope at saving my canine. When I asked about implant he brought up jaw realignment surgery again.

So please keep my tooth in your thoughts over the next two weeks...after pulling for over a year I'm ready to make some progress.

[Siobhan]

Okay. Another update.

Long story short, the device my othro was using to bring my freshly re exposed tooth flipped up instead of pulling down.
So after asking for numbing cream and a blow torch, my ortho got me fitted with a new system. No seriously, he needed a blow torch. Anyway...he said we can try for two more weeks. All my front teeth are very loose. He said on a scale of 1 to 3 I'm at about a 1.5 and apparently when the teeth get to a 3 on the scale of looseness they are, "almost goners."
So we are watching the front teeth as we continue pulling on the chain.
So we begin the two week wait of my last hope at saving my canine. When I asked about implant he brought up jaw realignment surgery again.

So please keep my tooth in your thoughts over the next two weeks...after pulling for over a year I'm ready to make some progress.

Wow, that's rough. I'm glad your Ortho caught it and fingers crossed for progress.

[millersgirl]

5272015.jpg

Here's how mine looks. No big metal appliance or anything. Just a chain attached to a looped wire.