Apple Valley Orthodontist Offers Treatment Options for Impacted Molars
APPLE VALLEY, ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – When a child has an impacted permanent tooth, the obvious solution often is simply to pull the baby tooth to make room.
But when it comes to molars, that solution isn’t always the best option, said Apple Valley Orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth.
Impacted first molars generally become evident around age 6 or 7, as those are when the first molars erupt, said Eisenhuth, who treats patients with this problem at her Eagan and Apple Valley orthodontics practice.
What typically occurs is that the first molars erupt tipping forward, causing them to catch on the primary molar in front of it, she said.
Although clinically, Eisenhuth finds that the upper first molars are more likely to impact, lower second molars also can become impacted. It is less common and studies report that it occurs in about three in every 1,000 patients.
It is believed the cause may be due to insufficient skeletal development, namely inadequate arch length, according to a November 2003 article published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
Another possible cause of impaction is extra room between the roots of the first molar and the crown of the developing second molar, the article stated. This condition may allow the growing second molar to tip in its eruption path.
If the decision is made to remove the primary molar, the space left behind must be held open until that primary molar is actually due to fall out, typically around age 12. When it’s the second molar in question, removing it too soon could mean that the third molar will erupt into the space where the second molar should be.
“A better solution often is to attempt to move back the erupting molar, essentially ‘un-wedging’ the tooth from the primary molar,” said the Apple Valley braces expert.
In cases where extraction is ruled out as the best method of correcting the problem, Eisenhuth sometimes inserts a brass separating band or ligature to allow the molar to correct itself. The band is placed around a tooth toward the front and includes an arm that helps move the molar distally- or back. If this procedure is successful, the molar no longer is impacted, and it will grow in as it should. The primary molar it was wedged against also stays in until it is due to come out on its own.
Another option if the tooth is severely impacted is to have an oral surgeon surgically uncover the molar and upright the tooth and reposition it if necessary to prepare it for proper eruption.
If untreated, impacted molars can create problems with chewing and can disrupt the stability of the dental arch, not to mention the aesthetic effects it can have on a person’s smile.
“Detecting impacted molars is just one more reason why children should be seen by an orthodontist by about age seven as the American Association of Orthodontists recommends,” said Eisenhuth, who also is an Apple Valley Invisalign preferred provider. “Identifying issues such as these early on means they can be treated early and often can take someone off of a surgical path.”
Addressing all eruption and impaction issues when children are young also makes future orthodontic treatment easier, she said.
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about impacted molars or you wish to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth, an Apple Valley invisible braces provider, please call: (651) 406-8100 or visit her Web site: http://doctorjennifer.com/.
About Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth
Dr. Eisenhuth attended the University of Minnesota Dental School and graduated in the top of her class. She earned the Minnesota Association of Orthodontic Achievement Award and several academic achievement awards. She entered her orthodontic residency at the University of Minnesota and earned a certificate in orthodontics and a Master of Science degree.
Dr. Eisenhuth is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
She takes pride in caring for the orthodontic needs of residents in the Twin Cities- St. Paul and Minneapolis, and their surrounding regions, including St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Eagan and Eagan, Minnesota.
Her office is located at 3340 Sherman Court, Eagan, Minn., 55121.
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